


before it rains

by sirensangel



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: F/M, Female Character of Color, Rain, Robot Sex, a LOT of rain, dreadwing ? dead ? not in my head, dreadwing deserves better change my mind i dare you, dreadwing nation this one's for you !!, heavy references to music, interfacing, set starting the events of patch, talk about music !
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:34:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 22,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25526761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sirensangel/pseuds/sirensangel
Summary: “ In the evenings, before I go to sleep, and in the mornings, the moment I wake up, I realize I was praying for rain. Is it bad for me, to want the rain to last longer ?” She laughed, the sound soft and uncertain. The drops bounced off her umbrella, the polyester fabric braced loosely against her shoulder.Her eyes landed on Dreadwing’s.“ Because if the rain is what brings us together. Then I don’t ever want to see another sunny day.”The weather always has a weird way of bringing people together. They say its fate, that no meeting under the rain is coincidental. As much as she would think otherwise, perhaps there is a reason as to why they were always crossing paths.( set directly after the events of " Patch ", season 2 AU )
Relationships: Dreadwing (Transformers)/Original Character(s), Dreadwing (Transformers)/You
Comments: 25
Kudos: 24





	1. nocturne op.9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone ! It's nice to be back into writing after a break, and this time I'm going to give Dreadwing the love and respect he deserves !! If you're here from my previous fics then it's so nice to see you again and thank you for checking out my other works, if you're new then welcome ! I hope you'll enjoy this fic <3  
> This is for Sonch & Zoonimooni , presidents of dreadwing nation :,)  
> Also ! Please read end notes because it's important ! xoxo

It’s strange. She thought. How fast the weather changes.

The radio was barely audible in the background, overpowered by the sound of rubber against gravel. Not to mention that the AC was noisily humming under the dashboard, making it hard for Soo-Min to listen to the weather report on the radio. She leaned forward, gently pushing her brother away to catch the latest statistics.

“ Do you want me to turn on the volume?” Baek-Hyeon asked.

She shook her head. “ Dae is sleeping.”

The two siblings listen to the forecast, the car rocking side to side.

“ Tsk.” The eldest brother frowned, hands on the steering wheel. “ I can’t believe we’ll be entering the rainy season again. Is it just me, or does it rain more often these days ?”

“ Maybe it’s just you. I’m not complaining though.” The voice from the passenger seat quipped. Du-Ho rolled down his window, letting the air sweep his hair back. The second brother cracked a grin, patting his hand against the door. “Cigarettes taste better when it rains.”

The car jerked as it drove over a pothole.

“ You have to really work on that stupid habit of yours. What kind of image will that give me on my first day at work? What would my patients think about a nurse who smells like cigarettes because his brother can’t quit his dumb nicotine addiction?” Baek-Hyon grumbled, and the two fell into banter – arguing with one another.

While they bickered like children, the youngest brother stirred beside her, blinking his eyes sleepily. “Are we there yet?”

“ No.” Soo-Min smiled, kissing his forehead. Once he was awake, he immediately latched himself to his brother, peering over the third son’s shoulder to watch him play. The clicking of Jun's _Gameboy_ consistent under all the noise. In the midst of it, Soo-Min stared at the sky. Today it was the color of paint, blue like the shades of acrylic. Without a puff of cloud, the sun was glaring down at them, blinding white above the horizon.

“ I don’t want to argue with you anymore.” The eldest sighed, ignoring the chuckles of his younger brother. “ The woman says this year’s rainy season will last longer than the previous one. It’s a sunny day. We should enjoy it, it might be the last one we see for a very long time.”

Soo-Min watched the greenery disappear behind them, the highway curling around the side of a mountain. It’s strange. Soo-Min thought. A blue sky should energize you, it should make you feel happy. Yet, if anything, it only worsened the weight in her heart.

Two bouquets lay across her lap, messily scattered amongst the half-eaten box of chocolates. The little brown squares melting against the paper wrappers. Bake-Hyon’s gaze cradled her own against the rearview mirror. He let out an encouraging smile.

“ It’s a beautiful day for a new start, right everyone?” There was a chorus of tired humming. Soo-Min rubbed her hands together, trying to steady her breathing. He continued, making a sharp turn down a dwindling road. “ Living in the countryside is better for our health! I can’t stand living in the city anymore. Starting today, we will be country folk! We will embrace the cool autumn wind with enthusiasm! C’mon, where’s the spirit?”

“ Eh, you sound so _corny_.” Du-Ho snarked. Once again, the two fell into banter, and Soo-Min was forced to look out the window.

Below, the rapid river swayed under a foliage of trees, and as they cross the shadows, something pricked the corners of her eyes.

* * *

Soo-Min stared at the small stream, the crystalline waters slithering down the slope of rocks. Around her, the insects were chirping to their heart's content, basking under the sunrays. A lizard blinked lazily at her, perched above one of the boulders.

" You're spacing out again."

Behind her, Du-Ho hanged the rest of the laundry to dry. He balanced the basket next to his hips, and against the light, his hair melted into the shade of fallen chestnuts.

" I am?"

He nodded, reaching to pinch her cheek. Soo-Min grumbled in protest, but the second eldest only laughed. " It's only been three days. You'll get used to it."

Soo-Min wanted to believe him, but it was hard to think that she'll ever adjust to the suburbs. Unlike Busan, Namwon was a quiet city. The urban cityscapes she grew up in were now replaced by a shroud of deciduous trees. The plethora of amber leaves occasionally raining down on them. Granted, they were only three hours away from the nearest metropolitan, but she still misses the city all the same.

Soo-Min misses the sound of metal wheels gnawing against iron, she misses the rush of traffic that would sweep her hair back, she misses the noise that would distract her from her thoughts.

It seems like nature's serene silence has done nothing but force her to listen to her head.

Soo-Min hated it.

She popped the cap of her inhaler open, breathing in.

" Hey, what do you say we go for a drive ?"

" Where?" She scoffed.

" Anywhere !" He lifted his hands, gesturing to the vast expanse. " We have a lot to explore. I'll take you anywhere you want. We don't even have to hurry, Baek-Hyeon won't be back from his shift until night."

" What about Jun and Dae ?"

" It's still noon. Dae will stay at the daycare until two, just in time for us to pick up Jun from school." He grinned. " What do you say, sis ?"

Soo-Min watched the cloudless sky. It hasn't rained since their arrival, much to everyone's delight. The air was dry and humid, increasing the chances of rainfall. It wouldn’t be wise to go out for a drive. Yet, Soo-Min couldn't find it in herself to care, wanting nothing more than to distract herself.

" Okay." She nodded.

Her brother whooped, and the next thing she knows, Soo-Min was on the back of his teal blue _Vespa_. His excited chattering drowned by the wind. The asphalt road disappeared behind them, and the river followed the pair, unfurling between the mountains. A looming cloud of grey hovering not far ahead.

* * *

_This is bad_. She thought, cursing at herself. The temperature was beginning to drop and the distant roll of thunder warned her of the oncoming rain. Du-Ho had warned her about straying too far. _He specifically said to stay in the path, and where did I decide to go? Out of the path_. She muttered under her breath. _Stupid, Soo-Min, you’re so stupid_.

A twig snapped underneath her feet, scaring her into flinching against the bark of a tree. Her breath quickened, and she straightened her shirt, tugging at the sleeves of her sweater. _Focus_. She whispered, shaking her inhaler before breathing in. _Focus_.

The park ranger did warn them it was already too late for a hike, but she was the one who insisted on going. All because she wanted to see the sunset by the hill. In 1976, Irisan was the first forest to be designated as a national park in South Korea. Soo-Min remembers reading about it in a magazine, recounting how it was the first terrestrial national park in the country with an emphasis on biodiversity conservation.

She stopped in her tracks.

A sign warned her about bears, and she whined. Out of all the places she could have gotten lost in, she just _had_ to get lost in a conservation park crawling with Asiatic Black Bears. Possibly _hungry_ and _feral_ Asiatic Black Bears. Baek-Hyon was right to lecture her on spacing out – “ It’s not healthy, Soo-Min. You just walked into the wall with both your eyes open. How is that even possible?”

She should’ve listened to him, she should’ve listened to her brothers. There was a growl behind her, and Soo-Min didn’t have the time to wonder if it was the wind or a rabid bear, whatever it was it sent her sprinting. The light around her was beginning to fade, the shadows nipping at her heels. Once her heartbeat demanded her to stop, she collapsed by a tree stump.

Her eyes followed the stray sunbeams. Tucked away under the cluster of trees, was a wishing stone.

Soo-Min scrambled over to it, kneeling by the stacked pebbles.

Soo-Min must admit, she wasn't religious. Then again, she was lost in one of the biggest national parks within the country. If she wanted even the slightest chance of anyone recovering her body after she gets mauled by a bear, this was her chance.

Soo-Min knelt by the _Doltap_ , pressing her hands together and screwing her eyes shut.

 _Please._ She prayed. _Please send me protection. Please send someone to help me._

Without her consent, tears were beginning to stream down her cheeks. Only then did she realize just how terrified she was. The sky above her grumbled in response, the wind picking up around her. There was a moment where she could hear the leaves hold their breath, the air still with silence.

That's when the ground shook.

Immediately, she was on her feet. Another wave of tremors knocked her on her knees. Not far away, she could hear something akin to an explosion, the clashing of metal following not long after. Frozen in place, Soo-Min could only watch as the leaves rained down from the branches.

 _Move_. Her body screamed. _Move, move, move_ \- Soo-Min forced herself to stand, turning to run the other way.

But it was too late, a mass propelled itself towards her. Soo-Min was lucky enough to dodge away, falling against the soil. She crawled on her knees, sitting back to watch the figure before her.

That was when Soo-Min realize she’d take on the bear any other day.

A gigantic metal robot – _fuck_ , towered over her. Her bottom lip trembled, and she opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out, it was as if the sight was enough to drain any remaining strength in her body. Somewhere inside of her, her fight or flight response was malfunctioning, torn between grounding her in place and running away. When it made the smart decision to get up and leave, a metal hand reached out to grab her.

Soo-Min screamed, thrashing around his grip. Her vision began to blur, the stress forcing a curtain of light-headedness upon her. A raindrop fell atop her head, and then another – before the sky parted to unleash an onslaught of rain. The last thing she saw was a pair of red eyes, before darkness consumed her.

* * *

“ I remember this picture.” Her brother smiled, rubbing the cloth fondly over the glass. “ When you were still a baby, I remember fighting with Du-Ho all the time, because we didn’t want to take turns in holding you.”

Outside, the pitter-patter of the rain encompassed them. It was the first rain of the summer, a sudden shift in weather after an endless stretch of summer. The rainfall tapped the window noisily, echoing throughout the dimly lit apartment. He placed the frame inside the box, closing the lid with tape.

“ You were born on the seventh night of the rainy season. A storm was raging outside when mom was admitted to the hospital. Ever since then, we all agreed that the rain was your lucky charm.” Baek-Hyun chuckled. “ Remember when you started playing the violin? It was raining that night. It was also raining on the night we attended your first concert. Oh ! And the day you successfully baked a cake after twenty tries? It was drizzling that evening. And the morning where you got your acceptance letter to University.”

“ It was also raining when - ” Soo-Min swallowed, turning away.

She inhaled, curling her hands against her lap. From her peripheral, she could see the flash of yellow zipping past the oppressive rows of high-rise buildings. Below, the rush of traffic continued – restless even when the light was quickly fading.

Her brother placed his hand above hers. It was warm and steady, causing her to slouch her shoulders forward. Around her, the apartment was empty, too empty – suffocating her. The walls were stripped of its usual colors, grey under the light from the window. Crowding the corner was a stack of boxes, ready to be packed.

“ It’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself for something you can’t control.” He pulled her into a hug, “It’s not the end of the world.”

Soo-Min stared at the table across her, the shards of a broken violin scattered atop it – the wooden splinters messily strewn under the tangled strings. Outside, the wind howled, rattling the silver chimes. She let herself silently cry against his shoulder, the tears staining his shirt.

They stayed that way until the storm cleared.

The rain chasing away the clouds to give way for a clear view of the moon.

* * *

Soo-Min woke with a start, sitting up to wipe the water dripping down her face. Scowling, she searched whoever had poured the cold water atop her head, only to shrink away at the sight of metal claws.

“ That’s one way to wake a patient.” The voice chuckled. “ It’s alive. Yay me. I must say, I didn’t expect Dreadwing to be the one to bring me a sample. He’s lucky I’m not picky, or else the fleshling’s death will be _such_ a waste.”

She watched him ramble to himself and Soo-Min had to swallow the dryness in her throat. It was…a giant robot. _Fuck_. She scrambled backward, only to bump her head against a glass wall. _Fuck. I’m in a cage, a glass cage._ Her breathing quickened, and she patted her pockets for her inhaler – sighing when she found it against her hip. She brought it up to her lips, inhaling once.

He turned around, catching her movements. In return, she dropped the device, the plastic clattering noisily.

He narrowed his eyes. “ Interesting. What is that?”

She kept her mouth shut and he tapped the glass repeatedly, backing her even further against the corner. “ Is the universal translator even working? It doesn’t matter. You won’t need it once I’m finished with you.”

Soo-Min banged the glass, skittering away from his fingers once he dipped them inside. She even made a motion to kick it away, but that only seemed to irritate him – in one swift movement he grabbed her roughly. Soo-Min gasped, clawing against his fingers. It took her a while to realize that she was crying, and at this, the red robot only laughed – _psychopath_. She thought. _I’m going to die in the hands of a psychopath._

There was a different kind of fear brewing inside of her. Soo-Min was never one for courage – she’s past her mid-twenties and still sleeps with a nightlight. The only thing that kept her hysteria at bay was how tightly he was holding her, and Soo-Min had to squeeze her arms between the gaps to allow herself to breathe.

“ Dreadwing. Thank you for bringing me back a human sample.”

She whirled her head around to catch her abductor watching them.

“ You said you were going to dispose of her.”

“ Yes and no – I intend to use it for research. It will die out eventually, but hopefully, the next human would be just as fortunate to stumble into our hands, eh ?” Soo-Min couldn’t swallow her sobs, using what remained of her strength to wiggle against his grip.

She raised her head to catch his gaze, and strangely enough, his glare didn’t waver.

If anything, the robot – no, Soo-Min corrected, _Dreadwing_ seemed wary, observing the way Knockout tossed her into the box. She landed with a loud thud, and she let out a soundless whine.

“ Whatever experiment you have can wait. Is the cortical psychic patch ready?”

As they fell into a discussion, there was a faint ringing against her ears, and soon she could feel herself starting to slip into unconsciousness once more. Soo-Min raised her head to watch the two _. Who are they? What are they? Where is she?_ One by one questions began to overwhelm her. The only thing she could cling onto was the fact that her kidnapper had a name. Dreadwing. That’s his name.

As Dreadwing was leaving the room Soo-Min tries to keep her eyes open. She could feel the water seeping past her clothes, sending a shiver through her. Weakly, she wrapped her arms around herself, bracing against the cold. Just as they were about to exit, he gave her one last look – and at that moment she could see just how red his eyes were. Just like fire, they seem to glow under the ceiling’s shadows.

She searched his eyes – _why ?_ She asked silently. _Why did you bring me here?_

He gave her no reply, walking out the room without so much of a second glance.

* * *

“ We should play every song with respect.”

The rain was heavy outside, splashing against the windows. The downpour echoed throughout the empty auditorium. Shrouded in darkness, the only reason Soo-Min was able to make out the piece before her was because of the artificial lights strewn above. They bathed the stage in a yellow glow, inviting her brother to come closer to the pianist.

She beckoned him to sit next to her, making room to allow him to put his fingers above the keys. “ When playing Nocturne.Op 9: do not use excessive rubato. Keep the tempo moving, however, use small sprinkles of rubato here and there for expressiveness. This is to make sure the order of voicing is correct. The melody should be loudest, the bass root should come second, and the accompaniment should be quiet.”

The nurse chuckled, ruffling her hair – to which she protested by pulling away. “ You take this very seriously don’t you ?”

“ It’s only right if I do.” Soo-Min smiled, tracing her fingers above the board. “ Chopin worked hard to compose this piece. I don’t want to butcher it if I don’t need to.”

The rain droned on, overlapping with the noise of traffic passing by.

“ I hate the silence. All it does it try to trick me into thinking that I’m alone. But I’m not. If you listen closely, even the silence has its own music.” She laughed. “ I don’t know if that makes sense. But, no one should ever feel alone. That’s why I want to keep playing – so others can see what I see.”

“ For someone who just graduated high school, you have big dreams.” Her brother stood up, “ But that’s good. And you’re right, you’re not alone. You have four brothers who are lucky enough to have you as a sister – and two of those brothers, are impatiently waiting in the car for us to go and grab dinner. Pack up, we’re eating out tonight.”

“ Really?” Soo-Min gasped, carefully lowering the case before slinging her bag across her shoulders.

“ Really.”

They ascended the stairs, laughing along the way – and as Soo-Min closed the door behind her, she could see the piano waiting by the stage. The last few verses of Nocturne Op.9 ghosting through the walls.

* * *

Even if her watch told her that only less than twenty-four hours have passed, Soo-Min felt like she had been here for weeks. By this time, she has already memorized the outline of the gated doors. She has learned that her captors call themselves Decepticons and that the borderline insane medical doctor trying to cut her open a few minutes ago has a name.

Knockout had wanted to personally study how the human body works and was only a hair length away from strapping her onto a table when Dreadwing walked in. Once again, he didn’t comment against Knockout, even if he did send him an appalled look. After that, Soo-Min had given up any chances of escape. What made it even worse was the asshole had left the box open, but it was at least twelve meters high, nearly impossible for her to climb over.

Soo-Min ignored her grumbling stomach, holding the urge to throw up. She knew Knockout was going to vaporize her on the spot if she would even go as far as to stain the glass.

Pulling out her inhaler, Soo-Min took a breather. It was as if the heavens were still merciful enough to let her keep her inhaler. She shoved it back in her pocket, making sure it was secure.

The Vehicons guarding the door shamelessly watched her, observing her as if she was some kind of lab rat – which in this case, was no further from the truth. She pressed herself deeper against the corner, feeling the hour tick by.

That’s when she saw him.

A Vehicon had just left the premise, and coincidence allowed her to watch him walk down the hall. Anger shot through her, forcing her up against the glass. “ Hey !”

He stopped.

“ Hey, you !” Soo-Min shouted. With Knockout away, she felt a rush of boldness – and all of a sudden, she felt braver now than she’d ever felt in years. “ Let me go! Are you just going to leave me here to die? Who – who do you think you are ?”

Her eyes were sore and worn from all those hours spent crying, but it seems like her tears were endless, and so she hated how they started to leak again. “ Let me go! Please… let me go home. Let me see my brothers again. _Please_.”

She slid onto her knees. _It’s useless_. She told herself. _You’re only making yourself look more pathetic_. Her throat, dry and painful forced her to stay quiet. When she heard his footsteps, she assumed he was leaving, instead – he approached her. _Shit_. Soo-Min skittered backward, curling herself against the corner.

He narrowed his eyes at her, but this time it was not out of disgust or anger – Dreadwing was thinking. By this point, she could hear her heartbeat against her chest. He was drenched from head to toe, no doubt from the downpour outside. He brought with him a trail of rainwater, and in the distance, she could hear the storm rattle the windows –thunder sending little tremors everywhere.

Suddenly, his hand reached out to grab her – and even if the movement was quick, it was still much gentler than any of the Vehicons or Knockout. He cradled her above an open palm, bringing her up to his face. Soo-Min gripped his thumb, and his eyes slide to her fingers.

“ If you wanted to get rid of me because I’m some kind of witness, then I promise I won’t tell anyone. Just…I don’t want to die. Not like this.”

Dreadwing looked around, bringing her to his chest before giving in. “ Very well.”

Soo-Min had to do a double-take at his reply. He was wearing a specific kind of expression, one she’d learn to read on her brothers. Although he lacks most of the human traits, she could see it in the slightest shift of his…horns? Should she even call them horns? Whatever it was, it doesn’t matter – because they were now walking out of the room.

As if she was thrown inside a whirlpool, Soo-Min was drowning in a mixture of feelings, and it was difficult to untangle one from the other. Was she angry at her captor or thankful for his mercy? Was she excited to go home or afraid that it was all a ruse? Swept away by the tides of her thoughts, Soo-Min failed to notice the figure approaching from behind.

“ Dreadwing. I have been searching for you.”

Almost instantly, Soo-Min was shoved inside a dark space. She stumbled inside, her yelp barely stiffened as she hit the ground elbows first. Not wanting to alert anyone of her presence, she resolved to press her ear against the surface. She had no time to wonder where she was – although she has an idea of where she might be - because Dreadwing was now walking in the opposite direction.

In the dark, her senses should have been heightened, instead, her hearing was barely enough to make out their talking. In the end, she had only managed to catch fragments of a sentence.

“…I intend to reach out to our comrade, personally.”

She was tossed back when he started walking – no, striding across the halls. His pace had quickened. _Where was he going, wasn’t the Exit the other way?_

“ Dreadwing.” She whispered. When he didn’t answer she tapped the wall. “ Dreadwing where are we going ?”

She doubts he didn’t hear her, so Soo-Min started banging the interior, trying to catch his attention. “Please! Dreadwing.”

He stopped. He’s moving his arms.

Soo-Min peaked through the seams of his armor, trying to catch the diffraction of lights.

“ Starscream, I regret to inform you that you will not live to spread your wings ever again.”

Soo-Min’s eyes widened. _What’s going on_?

Her hands trembled. _Was he going to kill someone? If he does, wouldn’t – wouldn’t that make him a traitor?_ Soo-Min wasn’t an idiot. She’s accepted the fact that these robots are far from man-made machines. They are capable of independent thinking, of independent reasoning. If that was the case, then this was no different from some kind of military faction. _What would happen to him? What would happen to her?_

“ Dreadwing !” She begged, frantically pounding her flat palm against his chest. “ What are you doing? Please! We have to go! Take me home. You – you can’t break your promise now! If you kill him you’ll – we’ll get killed !”

He was still moving forward, faster this time. She could feel the swing of his arm, and her mind suddenly went to his sword. “ Don’t you dare! Not – not when you said you’ll take me home !”

Whoever was on the other end of his blade, was begging by this point, sputtering out incoherent sentences.

“ Casualties are an unfortunate consequence of war !” He reasoned. “But I can assure your brother met his end with great honor !”

“ Which you disgraced !” Dreadwing roared. “ By raising him from the dead !”

Soo-Min’s blood ran cold. She buried her face in her hands, fumbling with her inhaler before tossing it aside. She was going to most likely die anyway. Soo-Min inhaled deeply, curling her fists to open her mouth, only to be cut off.

“ Dreadwing! I said stand down.” It was a different voice this time, much deeper, rougher – coming from the figure in the hallway earlier. This must be their leader. _Fuck._ Soo-Min thought _. Fuck, fuck, fuck we're in such deep trouble._

“ Please !” Soo-Min pleaded, this time, she replaced her incessant thrashing with a palm across the metal. She pressed all five fingers firmly across the surface, letting her temple rest against it too.

“I’m sorry to hear about your brother, I really am. I have brothers too, and – and the very thought of losing them is hell to me. But I’m begging you, don’t take away their sister from them. Your brother – Skyquake, isn’t it? Skyquake would want you to live too, idiot !”

“ I said stand down, Dreadwing.” Their leader ordered once more.

His tone, warning.

“ Let’s go Dreadwing.” Soo-Min weakly sobbed. “ Let’s get out of here.”

There was a pregnant pause, and Soo-Min closed her eyes, unsure of what would happen next. Only when he stepped back, did the fear in her heart uncoil itself, giving her space to let out a shaky exhale. One by one, voices begin to arise, but it was all too quick – one moment he was standing still, the next he was _sprinting_.

The floor gave away beneath her, and Soo-Min screamed as her body slammed against a leather seat. A seatbelt fastened itself around her body. It was tight to the point where she had to control her breathing. She was inside of a jet. Dreadwing had _transformed_ into a jet. They were speeding down the hallway, and finally, after dodging several hostile Vehicons and stray blasters, they were soaring above the roof of the ship.

Her relief was cut short when something hit the side of his wings, jerking them roughly to the side. The blast was so intense, that Dreadwing had no choice but to transform back. Ejecting Soo-Min out into the open sky.

She could feel herself float – the sensation lightweight against her heart, before plummeting down.

* * *

There was this one reality tv series Soo-Min used to watch as a child. She could still remember going home from school and immediately sitting herself down across the screen, not even bothering to change out of her uniform. It was a show where they’ll invite celebrities to try extreme sports. It has gained a lot of viewers, and little Soo-Min was no exception from the crowd.

She could vividly recall an episode about sky diving.

 _“ Sky diving doesn’t feel like falling. Absolutely not, crazy huh?”_ The instructor chuckled. _“ When most people think about skydiving they imagine a falling sensation. You know that dream where you feel like you are falling, only to wake up clutching your bedsheets? Those dreams can leave us restless and scared! Lucky for us, skydiving doesn't feel anything like that at all. Skydiving is just different - it is really, really windy! It takes your breath away, it brings you a new perspective on the world, it shows you a beauty that you didn't know existed.”_

That night Soo-Min had announced to the entire household that she wanted to try skydiving, and she could still remember her mother dropping her chopsticks in shock and confusion.

Falling.

While she did experience a sudden drop in her stomach, not long after it was replaced by this unique sensation. He was right, it was more of floating than falling. In this very moment, Soo-Min felt detached from the world, and the only thing anchoring her to reality was the wind rushing past her ears – and the fact that she wasn’t sky diving.

She was falling.

And she was falling _fast_.

She could hear herself screaming his name, but the wind did nothing to carry the message, simply pulling her closer and closer to the ground. Facing the sky, Soo-Min could see the ship shrinking behind them.

Thunder split the sky in half, roaring against the heavens.

A few meters away from it was Dreadwing.

And his eyes were closed.

“ Dreadwing !” Soo-Min yelled.

He remained unmoving, and together they pierced through the clouds, the vapor kissing her skin, mingling with the raindrops. “Wake up !”

Her tears were carried upwards by the acceleration, and she tried to grab for him, inching herself closer to the bot. Yet, her fingers would always miss the crown of his head by several inches, and Soo-Min nearly lost control of her breathing. She felt dizzy, she felt ready to succumb to the headiness – _no_. Soo-Min clenched her teeth together. _No. Not like this._

She successfully latched a hand across his shoulder, yanking herself up against him. She crawled to his neck, reversing their positions so that they were now plummeting headfirst to the ground. From this point of view, the vertigo only worsened, but Soo-Min couldn’t bring herself to care – not when she was starting to see the shroud of trees waiting for them below.

Soo-Min brought her face as close as she could to his. “ Dreadwing wake up !”

His eyes flew open, and he looked past her, using an arm to shield her and spin them around. A blaster flew past his shoulder, and with her back against the ground, Soo-Min could see the jets tailing not far behind. She moved her hair aside, looking directly into his eyes.

When he transformed, he lifted them off the ground just in time to avoid the sea of green. They crashed against the soil, skittering against the mud before hitting the base of an oaken tree. Her head connected sharply with the seat, and Soo-Min was barely given any time to collect herself when she was forced out into the open once more.

She crawled under the shade, hunching over a stone to empty her stomach. Her body burned, muscles aching in protest. Above, a small stream poured out of the rocky crags, and she scooped the freshly fallen rainfall to wash her mouth.

“ We must continue.”

Although her knees were close to giving under her, the voice behind Soo-Min left no room for arguments. A bird stared at her from one of the branches, curiously tilting its head at her. The wind slithered past her ankles, reminding her of the looming storm above.

She could feel his eyes on her back.

That was enough for Soo-Min to pull herself away from the tree.

* * *

They say Chopin’s Nocturne Op.9, No.2, was best played on a rainy day.

Soo-Min thought the piece was best played anywhere, she’s not picky. Then again, as the rain continued to worsen around them, Soo-Min finds herself humming it in her head.

She rested against the bark of the tree, watching as the canopies shield her from most of the onslaught. It was so heavy that the rainwater fell like curtains around her, sloshing messily against the muddied soil. Tucking her knees under her chin, she stared at the figure across.

Dreadwing was perched under a tree. The oaken trees in this forest are ancient. Time has allowed them to grow to about eighty feet, but even then, Dreadwing nearly hit the roof of the branches at full height. He scoured the sky, listening to the fading engine propellers of the Vehicons that had followed them. He didn’t need to explain for her to understand that they must take cover until it was safe enough to escape, not to mention that he probably needs time to recover from his external wounds too.

Soo-Min understood that they needed to wait, but for how much longer ? Especially when she was starting to notice the patch of blood blooming against the base of her kneecaps. Even the slightest movement had caused pressure against the wound, and Soo-Min had to keep herself from crying out. It didn’t go unnoticed by Dreadwing, not when she’d resolved to take off her sweater to wrap it around the oozing cut.

She wrapped the sleeves around it, wincing the entire time. Once she was done, she slumped against the hardened bark, hands flying to shield herself from the wind. _Great. If I’m not going to bleed to death, I’m going to freeze to death._

Dreadwing remained quiet, simply watching her. Soo-Min didn’t want to look at him, but she can only guess that he was either disgusted or confused – maybe a bit of both, and that made her wonder just how familiar he was with humans. _What even is he?_ Soo-Min thought. _Alien?_ That’s most likely.

Her mind flittered to Jun. Her little brother would be thrilled to know that alien exists, but maybe not so much when he finds out that they’ve abducted his sister. No amount of _X Files_ can cover up the fact that they _will_ kill you.

So why didn’t he kill her?

He’s now seated, legs crossed with his arms tucked against his chest. Even if he remained watchful, Soo-Min could see that he too was tired. The rain was endless, only growing in magnitude with each passing minute, and Soo-Min started sneezing.

That caught his attention. Sneeze after sneeze, her body was wracked with shivers. In retaliation, her body has raised her temperature significantly, warming the base of her ears and neck. Yet, it wasn’t enough, even if she’d retreated to the driest part of the shade.

A frog hopped past her leg. In normal circumstances, she would have screamed, but after today, she couldn’t bring herself to care. Not after what she’d seen. They stared at each other – the bullfrog’s eyes sickly yellow.

“ You are cold.”

She raised her head. Hesitating.

When she didn’t answer he regarded her thoughtfully.

“ It is within my knowledge that humans don’t possess the ability to …control their internal temperature at will.”

She shook her head.

“ You may stay next to me. I can provide you warmth while you recover.”

A flash of thunder wrecked the skies, piercing through the veil. The flash of golden illuminated his face, and she could see the insignia on the right side of his chest. _Decepticon_.

Soo-Min pushed herself closer against the gaps of the trunk. Initially, his eyes had twitched in frustration. He looked like he was about to berate her for declining, or worse, force her into complying – but instead, he only extended a hand.

“ You will not survive the next several clicks if you do not do as I say.” His voice was stern but steady, the gentlest she’d ever hear him speak. “ I…I will not hurt you.”

If Soo-Min was braver she would have scoffed.

But didn’t he keep his promise? He didn’t kill his brother’s murderer, no matter how angry and devastated he was. Instead, he risked his life to get her this far. While it was most likely true that it wasn’t all under her influence, he was still trying to keep her alive, keep her _safe_ , until she returns home.

It was strange.

It scared her.

But the rain remained restless, howling and roaring above them. It has gotten to the point where she couldn’t see him properly under all the cloudburst. Soo-Min inhaled, peeling herself away. The ground squelched beneath the soles of her shoes, and slowly, Soo-Min limped his way. He used his palm as a shield, hovering it above her as she crossed the distance between them.

She collapsed against his knee. He waited. Finally, Soo-Min managed to drag herself next to him. Now perched above a boulder, she was on par with his waist. She let out a sigh at the warmth radiating off it, melting into the spaces between them. She was unconsciously inching closer, but not enough to close the distance.

He must have sensed her weariness.

Dreadwing did not comment when she finally rested her head against the metal, nor when she pressed her entire side against his. It was no different than hugging a heater, Soo-Min mused, and under different circumstances, she would have found it comical. A gust sprayed the rainfall across her face, and she buried it against the body next to her.

She could feel him staring again, and only when it became unbearable did she raise her head to look at him.Soo-Min noticed a shift in his expression, very subtly, she could see a flash of guilt.

 _Serves him right_. Soo-Min thought. _He got me into this mess_.

Yet, it doesn’t matter how angry she was. Surprisingly enough, she couldn’t find it in herself to completely hold it against him. For what specific reason, she didn’t know. Was it sympathy? Pity? Whatever that feeling was, it had brought the two of them together under the rain.

Dreadwing made no move to close his eyes, keeping them to the sky. Soo-Min could hear the faint thrumming under his armor, the vibrations dancing across her skin. Lightning rippled across the clouds, thunder following not long after.

Soo-Min listened to the last few verses of Nocturne Op 9, before letting the rain lull her to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I hope that went well ! Second, yes Soomin has four brothers and if you're confused at the moment, don't worry, we'll introduce these rascals properly <3 Third, my character is a person of color and so I hope you'll enjoy me exploring more of her culture and etc. Fourth, updates will be much slower than usual, specially if you've read my other multi-chapter fic because I am going to take my exams in August ! Therefore, forgive me if it does take a while for me to update <3  
> If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I love feedback + since English isn't my first language don't hesitate to correct any false grammar :)


	2. hues of orange and red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone ! Thank you for patiently waiting <3  
> I'll leave my comments in the end notes, enjoy !

Soo-Min tried to push herself up, shoes sliding against the wet stone.Answering his questioning gaze, she limped off the boulder.

“ I need to make a fire.”

Granted, Dreadwing was warm, but if she wanted to survive the night, she’ll have to dry her clothes – fast. Not to mention that she was starting to feel, for lack of a better word, shy. It was stupid, considering that this wasn’t exactly the situation where one should feel embarrassed. But she doesn’t want to spend the rest of the night…hugging him. Hence, she lowered herself onto the ground.

Soo-Min used to think Baek-Hyun was being too paranoid whenever he would recite pages off his “ _Lost in the Woods: Survival Guide 101_ “ handbook to them every camping trip, now she was glad he’d said it so often to the point where it was seared in her brain.

Above them, the last few strokes of lightning faded behind the cluster of clouds, which were parting to give way to the moonshine. The silver lights pierced through the shield of leaves, raining down on them with the last few drops of rain.

Scattered by the foot of the boulder were several twigs, having fallen from the branches above. Soo-Min bent to pick up the fallen sticks, only to wince loudly.

She could hear movement behind her, and suddenly his hand reached out to gather the wood – effortlessly dumping it atop the stone. He stared at Soo-Min, waiting for her next move, and she was starting to dread this game of silence between them.

She was never one for talking, and so to meet someone who could actually stand that was new. Most people would try to compensate for her silence by talking. Dreadwing, on the other hand, mimicked her wordless nature – and if she wasn’t stranded in the middle of the woods with him, she would have found the gesture comforting.

Instead, it only made her uneasy.

“ Can…” She darted her eyes. “ Can you help light it up for me?”

He scoured their surroundings, his eyes narrowing at the expense before extending his cannon to the cluster. Soo-Min scattered backward, wedging herself in the small space between the boulder and the tree. Cautiously, he charged his weapon until it glowed red. The heat from the metal enough to light the bundle. Slowly, the fire grew, and Soo-Min crawled out of the shadows to sit in front of it.

“ What else do you need?”

Soo-Min narrowed her eyes at him once more. Frustrated, Dreadwing returned the gesture. “ I have told you before, I’m not going to hurt you.”

“ What made you change your mind?”

Soo-Min wanted to stay alive, the last thing she wanted was to get this far only to be obliterated by him for being snarky. Yet, Soo-Min was angry too, she was too tired and too weary to fall into another trap.

“ Very well.” He challenged. “ If you do not want my assistance, you are free to limp for what you need.”

At this Soo-Min stood up, balancing herself once she realized she had moved too fast. Swallowing the dizziness to search for food. Her stomach had growled at the thought, urging Soo-Min to hurry up. Yet, she doesn’t know what to look for. It’s obvious that she doesn’t have the means nor strength to hunt – not that it even appealed to her.

Her eyes latched onto a flash of orange.

Across her was a persimmon tree.

She craned her neck up to the shorted branch, steadying herself against the trunk to reach for the fruit. Although it was dangling low under the leaves, her fingers barely grazed its skin, hovering at least a meter below. What’s worse is that she could feel Dreadwing watching her _._

 _You’ve made your choice._ Her mind insisted. _Stick with it. Don’t let him see that you need his help. You don’t need it. You’re not a damsel in distress. You can do this._

Soo-Min picked up a pebble, and she tossed it towards the fruit – only to have it bounce off the bark and onto the ground, missing her shoulders by a few centimeters. Soo-Min fell on her legs, gasping at the shot of pain.

She clipped her lips together, not wanting to look at Dreadwing when he came to her side. With ease, he plucked a fruit, and another, and another. He brought his hand in front of her face, forcing her to look at the group of persimmons in his open palm.

His face an obvious mixture of “ I told you so” and “Don’t be stubborn.”

He nudged it closer to her, and in the end, Soo-Min was peeling persimmons by the fire. It wasn’t ripe, but it wasn’t spoiled either – which as good enough for someone who was starving. As she shoved them in her mouth, the juice dribbled down her chin, and she wiped it against her shoulder, catching the way Dreadwing was looking at her. He moved his eyes away once caught, giving her the chance to clear her throat.

“ Thank you.” She reluctantly murmured.

He nodded, and Soo-Min, who was now in a much better mood with her stomach partially filled, decided that he shouldn’t go back to brooding. “ It’s called a persimmon.”

In the distance the wind whistled past the foliage, signaling the storm’s departure. Yet, the drizzle remained, occasionally dropping onto her hair. She lifted it against the light, showing him its orange color. “Have some.”

“ I do not consume human sustenance.”

“ Oh.” Soomin felt even worse – of course. _He’s an alien and you’re offering him persimmons_. _Good Job Soo-Min._

The fire flickered before her, hypnotically swaying side to side. Dreadwing’s eyes seem to come to life against the flames, the hues of orange reflected against them. She can’t help but watch him, stealing glances every now and then. It was when the crickets started chirping did her head began to lull sideways, and Soo-Min jerked awake every time she feels herself drifting into sleep.

Dreadwing, as if understanding why she refuses to sleep, sighed. Then again – Soomin didn’t even think they needed to breathe. Either way, his shoulders slightly slumped forward, horns twitching.

His voice was certain as he spoke, the words something akin to a declaration.

“ I will protect you.”

Soo-Min wanted to doubt his words. She has the right to be distrustful, after everything he’d put her through. But here, under the faint pitter-patter of the rain and the light of the full moon, she finds herself latching onto his promise. Her trust towards him was brittle, frail, yet it was better than dying in the middle of nowhere – and so she closed her eyes and allowed sleep to sweep her away.

* * *

When Soo-Min woke she could barely move her arms. She was sweating, even if she could feel the mist surrounding her. The wound against her leg has turned into a constant throbbing, enforcing the headache already fighting its way out of her skull.

Someone was calling her. The voice sounded distant, hovering above her when all she wanted to do was fall back to sleep. She moved away, curling against the base of the tree. – “ Five more minutes.” She murmured. “ Five…minutes.”

The voice was insistent, anchoring her. It was only when she swatted the hand away did it grab her, hauling her up. Her eyes flew open, and she weakly struggled against the giant fingers curled around her waist.

“ Save your strength. Struggling would only weaken you even more.”

Soo-Min slumped forward, her body giving in. They were moving quickly, his footsteps thudding against the forest floor. The leaves crunched underneath, and Soo-Min was becoming aware of just how lightweight she’s feeling. Her body burned with each passing minute, and slowly she was spiraling into a deep well – further, and further away from the present.

He was calling her. She couldn’t make out the words as they blur into one, and Soo-Min couldn’t tell whether the feeling making her heart pound came her fear or his.

* * *

She could hear voices.

They were floating all around her, drifting back and forth like the tides by the shore. Sometimes they’re loud enough for her to make out, most of the time they blur into one – like the background static of a broken television, it droned on. Her body felt lightweight, and she was reminded of her time falling – was she doing it again?

Was she plummeting through the clouds?

The only thing that convinced her she wasn’t, was the fact that she was being passed into someone’s arms. The cold metal underneath her replaced by a set of fingers.

“ What did you do?” A voice shouted in the distance.

There were murmurs, echoes.

“ I can barely feel her pulse, ” The voice above her warned. “…quickly… inside.”

She could hear the engines of a car revving beneath her, the cushions warm and inviting.

“ Dreadwing.” The voice was deep, stern, _fearful_.

“ What have you done?”

* * *

The sun melted against the curtains, bathing the room in a subtle glow. She brought the cup of soup to her lips, careful to swallow them in small gulps. Soo-Min couldn’t help but wince at the taste. When she had seen the commercials online, she expected American soup to be far more appetizing – but then again, the bland aftertaste might have something to do with her injury.

Her body barely recovering from yesterday’s events.

With every move, the IV tube next to her hand hit the metal pole noisily, echoing throughout the empty bedroom. It made it easy for Soo-Min to listen to any approaching footsteps, and she quickly finished her meal once she sees the silhouettes under the door.

“ How are you feeling?”

Soo-Min blinked.

“ Oh, hang on.” The woman laughed. She fished out a small device from her chest pocket, the dark color clashing against the seafoam green of her scrubs. After tinkering with several buttons, static filtered through the spaces between them. “ There, better?”

Soo-Min nodded, eyes widening. “ How can you – how can I understand you ?”

“ Universal translator. We have to give the bots credit for this one.”

When Soo-Min met her yesterday, she had panicked and thrashed out of the bed, only to faint by the stairs. The woman had hauled her back into her room, and in between consciousness, Soo-Min realized that the woman had been talking in English the whole time. It was unfortunate, that Soo-Min had spent most of her time in high school sleeping through English class.

“ Are we in…America?”

Soo-Min glanced at the label by the empty Styrofoam cup.

“ Yes. I’m sure you have a lot of questions.” She sighed. “ We couldn’t take you to the hospital because of…legal reasons.” Soo-Min shrugged in agreement. An injured foreigner with no permit to stay within the country can easily make it to the headlines, the last thing she wanted was to end up on the news.

“ You were losing a lot of blood when he came to us. I have to ask, do you have any underlying medical conditions?”

Soo-Min hesitated.

“ It’s alright. I’m a nurse.” She assured, pulling out her ID. At the medical symbol, Soo-Min leaned back against the cushions.

“ Just Asthma a-and anemia. Iron deficiency anemia.”

“ That would explain things.” June crossed her arms. There was a thoughtful look in her eyes as she glanced at the window. Even if the fan above them whirred to life, Soo-Min could still feel the blistering heat trying to push past the walls.

“ It’s a good thing he brought you to us on time.”

“ Us?”

June gave her a wry smile.

* * *

If she didn’t know any better, Soo-Min would’ve thought she was being cooked alive. The air was dry, scratching her skin with unbearable heat. Strands of hair plaster themselves against her nape, the rest bunched up into a bun. Now she feels guilty for complaining about the weather back in Busan, summers in South Korea was nothing compared to Autumn in Jasper, Nevada.

“ How are you holding up?” June asked. A cloud of dust followed after them as they drove down the desert, the path cutting through an ocean of sand. The nurse was wearing a pair of _Raybands_ , the black shades protecting her from the violent sun rays.

 _Fleetwood Mac_ was playing on the radio, the verses dwindling into static the further they stray from the city.

Soo-Min rubbed her bare shoulders. “ It’s hot.”

She let out a short laugh. “ Tell me about it.”

Soo-Min chose this as an opportunity to look at herself in the rearview mirror. Even under the light, her eyes were dark. June’s eyes were grey like the sky before the storm, and under different angles, they glowed faint blue – reminding her of the morning mist. Baek-Hyun used to tell her that her eyes shone like beetles. Soo-Min never understood that compliment, until she saw a scarab stuck by the hood of June’s car as they stepped off.

It’s back gleaming from the warmth.

Soo-Min was snapped back to the present at the sound of metals moving, and in front of her, titans gaze down at her expectantly. She stared back, trying to conceal her wariness. She stepped behind June, shamelessly grabbing the sleeves of her scrubs.

“ It’s okay.” June laughed softly.

Once Soo-Min found her voice, she let out a whisper. “ What - Who are you?”

One of them knelt. His armor a mixture of blue and red. “ We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron. Also known as Autobots.”

Aliens. Soo-Min laughed to herself.

Jun would be thrilled.

After forgoing introductions, the initial shock had worn off, and like peeling the colors off the wall – Soo-Min was starting to relax under their presence. Trusting them enough to inch away from June to talk to one of them.

“You must be shaken up huh ?” Smokescreen laughed, “ What happened?”

At this she could see several others lean in to listen, even the one by the computer had stopped typing to listen. That’s when she realized Dreadwing wasn’t with them.

Soo-Min shifted her legs, clearing her throat. As if they could tell she was nervous, they patiently waited for her to collect herself – and out of thankfulness, she did her best to recount from the beginning.

She talked about how she wandered out of the path, skipping the part about the bears to go for the explosion. She told them about how Dreadwing had literally, crashed into – well, _next_ to her. She told them about Knockout, how he had wanted a human sample and that Soo-Min had just conveniently made herself a witness. Causing Dreadwing to bring her back to Megatron, only to have him give Knockout his blessing to make her his little lab rat. She spoke about Dreadwing’s change of heart, how he had helped her escape, and how he had nearly killed someone to avenge his brother.

“ T-then we had to hide in the woods for several hours to avoid the soldier – or Vehicons.” She explained. “ That’s when I noticed I was bleeding.”

“ Most likely from a stray blast.” Arcee suggested.

“ Or from the crash. Considering that you both _did_ crash into the woods.” Bulkhead offered.

Soo-Min flickered her eyes to Optimus, who urged her with a gentle nod to continue. “ That’s…that’s about it.”

June scowled. “ I understand that you had to wait for the Vehicons to steer clear, but did he know how close you were to bleeding out? If he was a second later you could’ve – “ She sighed.

“ Dreadwing is a Decepticon. As if he would take the time to learn about humans, much more your biology.” Ratchet scoffed.

“ It does not overshadow the fact that he called for our help,” Optimus announced, eyes falling on Soo-Min. “ To save you.”

“ Why?” She blurted out.

“ Dreadwing did mention that he didn’t want to serve the Decepticon cause anymore.” Smokescreen added.

“ There’s a difference between quitting the Decepticons and saving a human.” Arcee laughed dryly. “Why would he go all soft on her all of the sudden? He was the one who brought her there to die.”

Everyone shared a look with one another, uncertainty, and doubt written across their faces. The question has been echoing throughout her mind ever since she wakes. Why? Why didn’t he just left her to die? In between her thoughts, she could hear the faint beeping of the computers. The fans by the Base’s ceiling rattling noisily.

“ Dreadwing is loyal to the Decepticon cause, but even the fiercest of loyalties can be deterred by one’s sense of morality. His choice in saving Soo-Min has once again shown us that every sentient being has the capacity for change.” Optimus shared. “ I believe it is time that you return home.”

As if fate would have it, the elevator dinged, and a man stepped out of the doors. “ Prime !” He shouted, and the rest of the team dispersed like ships in the night, fleeing in all directions while trying to look busy. Their leader, unfortunately, had no means of escaping. Leaving him and Soo-Min to face his wrath.

“ I can understand if you need us to cover for you, but we can’t do that outside of American soil! How am I suppose to explain to my superiors why we have to help cover up the mess you made in South Korea.” He fumed.

“ It was the ‘Cons !” Bulkhead grumbled. “ It has nothing to do with us.”

“ Agent Fowler, we were after the Omega Keys. Where it was located and where the Decepticons chose to attack was out of our control." Optimus explained. “ Yet, that does not make us any less ready to fight them when we can.”

His eyes shifted to Soo-Min, and she couldn’t stop herself from flinching. “ And you’re the casualty I take?”

She quickly nodded.

He slumped his shoulders, holding the railings as if to stop himself from wiping his hands on his face. “Lee Soo-Min ?”

She nodded once more.

“ You were filed as a missing person yesterday at around 1400 hours, KST, by,” He shifted the papers in his hands. “ Lee Du-Ho and Lee Baek-Hyun. I take it they’re family?”

At this, she leaned forward, “ Yes. They’re my brothers. Do you have – do you have any news on them?”

“ Last time I checked, they stayed in the police station the whole night.”

At this Soo-Min’s heart clenched.

“ We better get you home before this makes the national news.” Fowler declared, “ I don’t want this to get messy.”

“ But wait, how are we going to cover up,” Smokescreen gestured, “ All of this?”

“ Kid’s got a point.” Bulkhead agreed. “ How are we going to explain why you don’t look like you’ve just survived a night in the woods?”

Bumblebee chirped next to him.

“ I doubt they’ll believe it, Bee.” Arcee frowned.

“ What if we drop you off by the ranger’s hut ?” June offered. “ This place you got lost in, it’s a national park, right? We’ll let the park warden find you, and you can ask for some spare change in the lost and found. This will cover up the fact that you were found wearing different clothes.”

“ Someone’s been binging their detective novels.” Arcee raised a brow.

“ Guilty.” The nurse shrugged. “ But you need to make it look convincing as well. You look too well put to have been lost in the woods.”

“ I’ll figure something out.” Soo-Min murmured, mind racing. “ Thank you, Nurse Darby.” She raised her head to the bots, before curtly bowing. “ Thank you, all of you.”

As she was going to go through the portal, she spared Optimus another look. “ Where…where is he?”

The leader scoured the Base, before kneeling – sending little tremors beneath her. “ Dreadwing once told us that betraying his kind, is not the same as accepting ours. When he sent us a distressed signal, he had handed you to us, before leaving.”

“ So…he’s not going to join you?”

He stared ahead into the blue portal, pensive. “ I believe only time will tell.”

* * *

The door slid open, causing Soo-Min to look away from the window. Her brother stepped inside, placing the tray of food and water next to her table. “ How are you feeling ?”

She smiled sadly at his stubble, his eyes carrying dark circles. “ I’m feeling better.”

He sat by the foot of the bed as she ate, the scratching of her fork bouncing off the silence. His scrubs meant that he just got off a shift, and since the clock showed that it was barely seven at night, he most likely excused himself to go home earlier.

“ Baek-Hyun. I’m fine.” Soo-Min assured. “ You don’t have to come and take care of me. Du-Ho is here almost all the time.”

He wiped his face. “ I know. It doesn’t stop me from worrying though.”

“ Please don’t blame Du-Ho for this. It was my fault.” Her voice cracked, and her oldest brother reached out to hug her. She rested her chin against his shoulder. “ I should’ve stayed where I am, I was so stupid I’m so – “

“ You’re not stupid.” Baek-Hyun laughed. “ And I’m not blaming Du-Ho for anything. He’s already beating himself up hard enough. Even when it’s neither of your faults.”

At times Soo-Min wished Baek-Hyun would cry. Being the eldest, he always feels responsible for his siblings. Showing weakness was never an option for him in the past, and it’s hard to let old habits die hard.

When he was only eighteen and Du-Ho was eight, their family hit a rough patch after their father left them. Baek-Hyun has always carried the family responsibility on his shoulders without complaint, just so Du-Ho doesn’t have to sacrifice what it’s like to be a child.

It stayed that way for a few years. Until Du-Ho started getting into trouble. It was always Baek-Hyun who would pick him up from police stations and seedy bars, it was always Baek-Hyun lecturing him on what’s right and what’s wrong, it was always Baek-Hyun who had to play the 'bad guy' and scold him from time to time. Only when Soomin was born, did Du-Ho started taking school seriously. But he dropped out before collage to help their mother. Soo-Min remembers seeing Du-Ho working from one store to another, always applying for jobs here and there just so they can get by.

Now, her brothers were forty and thirty-two. One a nurse and the other a mechanic. She could see Du-Ho working on his bike outside, lost in his thoughts as he tinkered with the engines – a sign of restlessness.

He’s been doing it since morning.

“ I’m sorry,” Soo-Min whispered.

“ Don’t be.”

Baek-Hyun helped her change the bandages under her knee, picking up the empty plates to leave the room. Once Jun and Dae bid her goodnight, Soo-Min was left to stare into the darkness. As usual, the clouds loomed ahead, ready to shower them with rainfall once more. It was only when she was about to fall asleep did she see a flash of red.

Soo-Min leaped out of her bed, falling against her table by the window. She braced herself against it, peering out into the dark. The shadows stared back at her, her breathing heavy as her eyes searched and searched.

“ Dreadwing?” She breathed out.

Silence answered her. Yet, she could have sworn she saw a figure lurking beneath the trees. The outline of his horns unmistakable even under the bleak light of the fading sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, I've made some corrections in writing her name. Apologies for the mistake, I've also fixed it in the first chapter <3  
> Also, I'm sorry if the build up is slow and Dreadwing's appearance here is quite short ! The next chapters will not have such short paragraphs, so don't worry if you're starting to get sick of the choppy scenes, there's longer ones to come ! Hope you had enjoyed this one and that I got his character right !


	3. only windows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone ! I hope you're all doing well <3  
> So here is a quick update because I just had a three day holiday :)  
> Also I know most of you might be confused with her brothers, and it's difficult to remember, so I'll write down their names and ages in the end notes for reference !

Soo-Min crossed out the words on the paper, furiously scribbling across it before tossing the empty pen to the trashcan. Her hands smeared with blotches of ink. She grabbed some tissues to clean them, looking out the window.

The place where Du-Ho would usually park his motorcycle is vacant, having left early in the morning with Baek-Hyun to start their day. Across her, Jun was busy with his schoolwork, the tapping of his calculator incessant above the low table.

“ Jun.” She called out.

He didn’t move, head hunched down with headphones strapped across his head.

“ Jun.” She tried again, this time, she tapped him on his hand. The younger brother placed his pencil down, removing the device.

“ Is it time for me to take you to your friend’s house yet ?”

He glanced at the clock on the wall. “ We have about thirty minutes left.”

“ I’ll take you there now, we’re biking, it’ll take longer than it usually does.” She got up to get ready, and the entire time she could feel Jun hesitating, even after she’d pull out the bike from the garage. Her brother adjusted the strap of his backpack.

Soo-Min is glad to see that her brother is making friends. Even if he told her that he was only going for the sake of the school work, Soo-Min knew that deep down the teenage boy is excited to have been invited for lunch at their place – which was good because it spared him from Soo-Min’s cooking, which was less than ideal compared to Baek-Hyun’s.

“ I can bike on my own.” He reminded her. “ I’m sixteen.”

“ I know, and I’m twenty-six.” Soo-Min nodded. She checked the wheels, before swinging a leg over to sit in the front. She gestured for him to get on. “I don’t want you to bike there alone. It’s far and you can get lost. It’s better if I take you.”

“ But,” He frowned. “ You’ve just recovered.”

“ That was two weeks ago. I’m better now.” She got off to roll up her cream palazzo pants, showing him her scar. “ See - it’s starting to thin. You don’t have to worry. I also want to go job hunting.”

At this, he reluctantly agreed, knowing that there was no arguing with his older sister. If Soo-Min was being honest to herself, she was starting to get sick of staying inside and doing nothing. So she decided to apply for a part-time job. Although her brothers insisted that she doesn’t need to, Soo-Min knew a little help financially wouldn’t hurt. Besides, she wanted to cling onto some form of independence.

They did move all the way here for a new start. If Soo-Min wanted to get used to it, she might as well pick up a job or two.

Sadly, job hunting wasn’t as easy as she remembered it to be. Yesterday alone, she had applied to three different places, only to get rejected by all of them. It was embarrassing, but Du-Ho told her not to blame herself, considering that she was a musician.

Was.

She used to get offers all the time, to play in restaurants, weddings even concerts. Soo-Min even had her own solo recitals. But when it comes to applying as anything else, it was difficult, when she had average grades and took music as her major. Back in Busan, she did manage to apply as a waitress, but that didn’t even last a week – when she had carelessly spilled hot soup all over a patron’s lap. Du-Ho had to pick her up and got into a fight with the manager.

Soo-Min mused at how faraway that memory was.

As if it was from another lifetime, from a different person.

The leaves rained from above, scattering against the asphalt. Next to them, a bright white Mustang sped down the road, blowing a gust of wind across her face. Soo-Min stared at the river below, passing over the bridge.

* * *

By the time she was walking home, Soo-Min had successfully crossed out three more places off her list. To say she was discouraged was an understatement. She adjusted the umbrella across her shoulder, walking her bike next to her. She had shown up for the job interview, only to be rejected once she started introducing herself. They said she was too shy, and as much as Soo-Min wanted to disagree, working as a hotel receptionist and dealing with occasional angry customers doesn’t sound as appealing either.

Hence, she had agreed and left, noting that the lobby was blaring a version of _Flashdance’s Maniac_. The only reason she recognized the tune was because Du-Ho is obsessed with 'American Eighties' culture. It boggles her how he even got into it, and now he carries a Walkman with him while dressed as a Greaser. It was strange, Soo-Min smiled, but it’s what made him all the more lovable.

It was a drizzling, the sky cold and gloomy above. Soo-Min was more than ready to go inside and make herself something warm when she saw him.

She froze, hands slacking around the handles of her bike.

He was standing in the same spot where she thought she had seen him that night. Soo-Min blinked for a few times, trying to figure out if it was real or just a figment of her imagination.

He began to approach her – peeling away from the shadows.

Soo-Min found her legs and crossed the distance, letting her umbrella hit the grass.

“ What…” She breathed out. “ What are you doing here?”

Next to him, Arcee emerged from the foliage, kneeling in front of her. “ We need your help.”

Soo-Min would’ve appreciated if one of them had told her beforehand. The last time anyone of them reached out to her was about three days ago. Agent Fowler had called her on her phone, repeating to her once again about how she should keep this a secret. He even tried to bribe her, but Soo-Min wasn’t interested, and she knew when to keep her mouth shut. It wasn’t as if she wanted to brag about the experience either.

It was difficult at first, keeping it from her brothers. Especially when they’re all so _nosy_. First, it was Baek-Hyun who noticed the stitches across her wound. He was confused as to when she had gotten it. A first-aid responder couldn’t have done it for her– “ These are professional stitches. Trust me I would know. A surgeon or nurse must have done this.” She had tried her best to dodge the question, and as insistent as he was, Baek-Hyun knew when to let go of the matter. What’s important is that she’s safe, and he knew she would tell him in due time.

Du-Ho was a bit tougher to sway, considering that he feels the whole thing was his fault. When he caught her waking up in the middle of the night screaming, he had rushed in almost immediately – “What really happened back then?” He had asked. “ What did you see?”

Soo-Min had to swallow her guilt at his disappointment when she refused to tell him. In the end, he respected her silence, knowing that maybe she was just not ready to tell him. That night, he stayed with her until sunrise.

Her younger brothers, as curious as they were, weren’t as concerned as her older ones. Jun’s usual impassivity began to crack the moment she started struggling up the stairs, and he had helped her changed the bandages every once in the while when Baek-Hyun couldn’t. While Jun was quiet and reserved, Dae was loud and curious with his questions. The seven-year-old would often poke his sister with all sorts of questions – “ What happened to your leg? Did you go hungry? Did you see a bear, if you did was it scary?”

She would only laugh and answer each of them patiently – “ I fell and cut it against the crags by the stream. I didn’t go hungry because I ate some persimmons. I…did see a bear, he was scary, but he didn’t hurt me.”

In conclusion, everyone knew she was keeping secrets, and it was getting harder to keep them by the day. That’s why she urged the pair to go deeper into the woods, straying away from the estate. “ My youngest brother is sleeping, he might wake and see you here.”

She could see Dreadwing spare the house a glance at the mention of her brother, before falling back to her.

“ I know this is sudden, but we don’t have much of a choice,” Arcee explained. “ We found an Energon deposit about two hours from here. We need to secure it, but we can’t open a Ground Bridge there as it’s too risky. There are too many people there.”

“ Energon?”

“ Think of it as our food.” Arcee shrugged. “ We need to set up camp somewhere within these woods, and we need your help in making sure that people steer clear from the area.”

Soo-Min pressed her lips together. “ Does this mean that you’ll frequently monitor the place?”

Arcee nodded.

Soo-Min rubbed her shoulders, adjusting the canvas bag on her shoulder. “ I can’t give you immunity, but I don’t see the harm in setting camp a few miles south from here. There’s a tunnel, and the last time I heard, it used to be a train track – now it's abandoned. Hardly anyone comes to check, and people are afraid that it’ll be considered as trespassing if they go there.”

“ And your brothers ?”

Soo-Min raised her head to Dreadwing. “ They wouldn’t think of exploring the area. Besides, after what happened, I think we’ll stay clear from the woods for a while now.”

The shrubs beside them rustled, and out of it stepped out a boy. He wore a transparent raincoat, a smile plastered across his face. “ Arcee! You won’t believe what I’ve just found !”

“ What did I tell you about staying put?” She scolded.

“ I didn’t go far, besides, look !” He raised a cluster of leaves. “ Berries !”

“ How do you know they’re not poisonous?”

“ Trust me, I’m an expert. Mom used to take me hiking all the time, and these are no different from the usual blueberries. But it’s just so _big_! I bet they taste good too.” He placed the fruit inside his bag, and that’s when he noticed that Soo-Min was there.

“ Oh, hey.” He grinned sheepishly. “ I’m Jack.”

Soo-Min looked at Arcee.

“ It’s a long story.”

“ I’m Arcee’s partner.” At his confidence, the blue Autobot rolled her eyes. The sixteen-year-old was surprisingly chatty. According to Arcee, he’s excited to finally go on a mission abroad. The two of them were now walking inside the tunnel, trailing behind Dreadwing and Arcee. The tunnel was big enough to accommodate both of them, water dripping from the ceiling and onto their armors.

Soo-Min was now wearing her own raincoat, the yellow polyester matching her rubber boots. They squelched against the stones, the noise scaring several frogs away.

“ I heard about what he did to you.” He frowned, chewing the berry - she had offered to wash it for him so they could eat it together. “ The only reason he’s here is because Optimus thinks we should trust him.”

Jack narrowed his eyes at him. “ I don’t.”

Soo-Min took a bite, following Jack’s gaze on Dreadwing’s back. “ When did he decided to join you?”

“ About a week ago. It’s…weird. He wasn’t exactly on board with the whole thing, but he needs Energon, and he’s willing to cooperate if it means that we split our share with him. He knows he can’t mine these deposits alone.”

Optimus was either naïve or brave to send only Arcee with Dreadwing. He must trust him enough to even let Jack come along. Then again, Dreadwing has proven himself as someone who keeps his word, and Soo-Min still hasn’t properly thanked him for keeping her alive. She took out her inhaler, shaking it.

The air around them was thinning the further they go, and by this point, they’ve made a turn and was ready to descend into a pathway sloping underground. Soo-Min waited by the mouth, and Jack turned around once he realized she wasn’t following them.

“ Do you want to stay outside?” He noted the wariness in her eyes, and that’s when Dreadwing and Arcee stopped walking. Soo-Min nodded and, in the end, she was left to wait by the entrance of the tunnel.

She chewed the rest of the blueberries, sitting by one of the broken pillars. Soo-Min noted the number from the ice cream shop into her phone, having noticed their pamphlet. Hopefully, she could make the job interview and land herself a spot. While she was doing this, little tremors shook the ground, and she didn’t have to lift her head to know he was behind her.

“ Hi.” She greeted.

“ I see that you have recovered.”

Soo-Min nodded. “ I have.”

Just like that, the conversation came to end. Soo-Min could feel herself struggling, not knowing where to start. When he made a move to leave, she reached out. “ Wait.”

He paused, looking at her expectantly. Soomin shoved her phone in her pocket, hopping off the pillar and wobbling on her feet. “ I never got the chance to properly thank you. You kept your promise. You…kept me safe. Thank you for that.”

The rain scattered above the hood of her raincoat and Dreadwing watched her carefully.

She looked past him, “ Are they okay down there?”

“ Arcee has left to report back to Optimus. We will secure the area and try to hide it from Decepticon radar.” Dreadwing himself looked as if he couldn’t believe that he’s saying those words, and Soo-Min could easily spot the conflict in his eyes. There was something inside of her tugging at her to say something, anything.

“ Would you like to go for a walk?” She blurted out. “ It usually helps me clear my mind.”

There was a moment where she thought he might say no, but he simply nodded, and Soo-Min was spurred into leading the way. It took a while for her to find the silence comfortable, but once she realizes that Dreadwing was taking in the scenery, the tension melted off her body.

She watched as a Blackbird hopped off the branch to fly away. “Your world must be much different from ours.”

“ It was.” He frowned.

“ What happened to it ?”

The sun was beginning to shine down on them, even if the drizzle continued. The clouds move to allow the sun rays to pour past the leaves. They ripple against his armor, cutting through it to show that he no longer carries the Decepticon insignia in his chest.

“ The war forced us to go off-world. In an attempt to win the war, Megatron used Dark Energon to strengthen his forces. Yet instead, it poisoned Cybertron, turning it uninhabitable. As a result, we were forced to evacuate and seek shelter in the stars while our homeworld healed itself.” He wore a guilty look in his eyes, turning away.

“ Dark Energon?”

That’s when Dreadwing understood that unlike Jack, Soo-Min was completely unaware of what was going on. She wouldn’t be upset if he ended up not telling her. Why should he trust him? Only a few days ago was he ready to let her die a brutal death? He probably sees her as some kind of pest. Inferior. Insignificant.

“In the beginning of time, there were two deities, named Unicron and Primus…” And so, she listened to his story. She noted how they’ve managed to stop by a bridge, and Dreadwing had to cross through the stream below so he doesn’t break the wooden crossing.

Once she started asking questions, she could see his temper ebbing on the surface, his frustration evident.

“ Primus then became your planet?”

“ Were you not listening?” He huffed. “ Cybertron already existed prior to his creation. Primus merged with Cybertron's core and shed his physical body in the process. This act linked the life of Primus and the planet.”

Soo-Min furrowed her brows.

“ Then technically, I’m not wrong.”

He looked at her as if to argue, but something shifted in his expression at her stubbornness. “ If you were to put it that way. Then no, you are not wrong. But it does not make you correct either.”

“ I may be human, but I’m not stupid.” Soo-Min declared.

He stopped walking. “ I never said you were.”

“ But you don’t see me as an equal either.” She confronted. At her newfound confidence, Soo-Min continued. “ You were ready to let me die back there. I don’t know what made you change your mind, but if you didn't pass me in that hallway, I would’ve…I would’ve…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say the words. Instead, her fingers went to dab the corners of her eyes.

“ You would’ve left me there to…to die.” She whispered.

When she raised her head to look at him, she was taken aback by the way his eyes dropped. Did he seem apologetic? She couldn’t tell, either way, he seemed thoughtful of her words. Seeing him unsure made her uncomfortable, and so she wiped her eyes against the sleeves of her shoulder.

“ I have to go.”

“ What is your designation?”

She lifted a brow. “ My what?”

He towered over her, and she had to keep some distance between them to see his expression. Soo-Min had always thought that his eyes were devoid of any warmth, despite how brilliantly red they burned. They were so different from human ones. He had no pupils, no sclera, no eyelashes.

He doesn’t look human, and so how can she tell what he was feeling?

It was as if there was a screen that prevented her from looking into his mind. Yet, for a brief moment, that screen was distorted – and as if someone had just disturbed the surface of a pond, she could see his emotions rippling past them.

“ What should I call you?”

 _Of course._ She thought. _He doesn’t know my name._

She contemplated whether or not she should tell him, before giving in.

“ Soo-Min.” She spoke. “ My name is Soo-Min.”

With that she turned around, walking past the trees.

* * *

“ You’re allowed to decline, of course.” Agent Fowler shrugged. “ It’ll only be a two-day trip. I’ll cover all of the expenses.”

“ Why not hire a professional?”

He let out a sigh. “ If you haven’t noticed, we’re short on staff. My division works under a confidential sector that not even the government knows exist. We don’t work under the normal chain of command, and as far as the American public is concerned : we’re a ghost story. We can’t reach out to the FBI or the CIA, it’s not as easy as one might think.”

Agent Fowler folded his hands above the table, graciously accepting his cup of tea. He hummed at the taste, nodding his thanks to the waitress. The café was empty, void of any patrons, the city slowly falling asleep with the sunset. The television above droned on, accompanying the sound of his fork against the plate.

“ The last thing I want to do is to involve a civilian. Yet, it has come to my attention that you know the city well enough to act as their guide. It won’t be anything too complicated, all we need is someone to steer the locals away while the bots do their thing.”

How he knew that Soo-Min used to live in Seoul a few years before moving to Busan was beyond her, then again, he’s dealing with extraterrestrial life forms for a reason. He cut the layer cake in half, examining the tangerine treat under the light. “ What do you say ?”

Soo-Min clipped her lips together.

She should say no. She’s had her fill with aliens. Soo-Min wasn’t even brave enough to take out the trash at night, what more in helping the Autobots secure an Energon mine? She’s already gracious enough to let them set up camp by her backyard – technically not her backyard, then again, she was the one who had to lie to the police about seeing bears occupying the Northen side so they would investigate and in return, steer clear of her area.

She was the one who had to tell her brothers all the noise from down South came from construction, even if it sounded no better than a middle-school lie. – “ Why would they want to build a resort here ?” Du-Ho once asked.

“ I don’t know.” Soo-Min had shrugged. “ Capitalism?”

Unknowingly, she’s been helping the Autobots even before she’d agreed to it.

She’s already made up her mind, but maybe the reason it took her so long to tell him was because she was afraid.

She was afraid of how brave she was turning.

Which was ironic, considering that she nearly died. But as she was packing her bag, she knew that there was more to her decision than meets the eye. Whatever it was, it compelled her to tell her brothers that she’ll be visiting an old high school friend – who she hasn't actually spoken to in years.

Du-Ho had immediately supported the idea, telling her that it’s healthy for her to reach out to old friends. He thinks it’ll take her mind off the forest incident. Baek-Hyun on the other hand was apprehensive. It took a lot of convincing before he finally caved in.

“ Be careful.” He had told her, rubbing her shoulders.

“ I will.” She smiled. “ It’s only for the weekend.”

“ Our little sister,” Du-Ho chuckled. “ Brave enough for a trip to Seoul alone. You sure you don’t want us to take you there?”

“ I told you. She’ll pick me up by the station. I won’t be alone.”

Her brothers shared a knowing look, before waving goodbye at her.

Yet, the expression on Dreadwing’s face showed her that they weren’t the only ones surprised – and Soo-Min was starting to realize just how addicting proving him wrong could be.

* * *

" Here." Soo-Min pulled the stick out of the fire, passing it to the girl. " You can have mine."

" Oh sweet !" Miko grinned. " You sure you don't want it?"

She shook her head. " When I was younger my grandparents used to make these for me all the time. I think I've had enough of it."

That was enough for the girl to continue chewing on the corn cob, the butter dribbling down her fingers. The fire popped and cackled before them, releasing fumes into the night sky. In the beginning, Soo-Min had asked Fowler on why he had allowed children to get themselves involved with something so dangerous.

After hearing their stories, Soo-Min can’t deny that a few hands are helpful, even when they come from teenagers.

“They’re safer here with us, than without.” The former army ranger assured.

Seoul was only two hours by train, but to avoid Decepticon radar, the Autobots have decided to limit the use of a Ground Bridge. Ratchet also mentioned that the portal still needs repairing, considering that their previous base was attacked. – “ You try building a Ground Bridge from scraps !”

Miko and Soo-Min had agreed to join them on their little road trip, knowing it’s best to stick together. The grass surrounded them, reaching past their knees and swaying with the breeze.

" So, Soo-Min," Miko asked in between bites, " How does it feel like to be on your first mission?"

Soo-Min tilted her head. " I...I'm not sure. Are your parents not worried about you ?”

“ Nah. My host parents think I’m on a school camping trip. Which just shows how gullible adults are.”

“ Have you been on many missions like this before?"

" Oh yeah. Loads." Behind her, Bulkhead gave her a look that screamed, " _Don't believe everything she says_." Not long after, Miko and Bulkhead started joking with one another, laughing loudly to the point where it attracted their leader's attention.

Ultra Magnus watched the pair, narrowing his eyes before focusing back on his scanners.

When Agent Fowler told her that she'll be rolling with the 'Wreckers', Soo-Min didn't know what to expect. Apparently, according to Wheeljack, they are a special operations unit that used to operate outside the normal chain of command back in Cybertron. Now, they’ve integrated themselves into ‘Team Prime.’

" We're the guys you call to finish the job nobody wants to take." He bragged. " There's nothing we can't handle. So don’t worry, you’re safe with us, sweet spark."

As playful and friendly Wheeljack was, it still doesn't make the whole situation less intimidating. Not only because the three of them could easily squish her by accident, but because the moment they came face to face with Dreadwing, all hell broke loose.

The second Dreadwing emerged from the Ground Bridge, Wheeljack had tackled him onto the ground, screaming about how he wanted to rip the Mech apart with his bare hands to avenge Seaspray. Ultra Magnus had tried to pry his soldier away, although, Soo-Min felt the commander had allowed him to send in a few punches before actually breaking the two apart. The whole time, Soo-Min had hidden behind Miko, and it took them about an hour and a half to convince her to stop shaking like a leaf.

Now with Wheeljack back from the patrolling the area, the image of Dreadwing sitting alone at least fifty yards away from them stirred something inside of her. It was obvious by this point that they were ostracizing him, even if Optimus’s sole reason for putting them together was so that they can look past their differences to work as a team.

But can you really work with someone who once slaughtered your friends?

Soo-Min shivered at the thought. Wheeljack noticed this. “ You cold?”

She shook her head, wrapping her coat tighter around her. “ No. I’m alright.”

She was glad she’d gone with the turtleneck and jeans, having the foresight to also wear her stockings underneath. Miko was wearing an aviator jacket over her long-sleeved undershirt, sharing to Wheeljack how it belongs to her host father– “ I snuck it out of his closet when he wasn’t looking.” The three wreckers were drinking their Energon, the blue liquid sloshing inside the cubic glass.

She turned to look at Dreadwing.

“ Should…” Soo-Min interrupted, “ Should we offer Dreadwing a cube ?”

Eyes, or optics, fell on her. Soo-Min immediately felt awful for turning the mood sour, and Wheeljack shot the ex-Decepticon a glare.

“ Who’s up for some scary stories?” Miko grinned wickedly, wiggling her fingers above the fire to steer away the coversation. At this Soo-Min tried to peel herself away from the crowd, but Miko latched her arm around her shoulder – and soon she was dramatically waving her other hand in the air.

“ …*The cabin was mostly empty. Just some boxes and a single bed. The hiker sat down to take off his boots. He gazed around the room and was surprised to see the walls adorned with many portraits. Each painting was dark and dreary, rendered in grotesque detail. They almost seemed to be staring at him. Their faces twisted into looks of malice. It made the hiker uneasy.”

Soo-Min tried her best to block out her voice, but just like Ultra Magnus, she wasn’t spared from the suspense – and the two of them had no choice but to listen in.

“ He rolled over and faced the wall, eventually falling into a restless sleep.” Miko’s voice dropped into a whisper, “ The hiker woke. He blinked in unexpected sunlight. In horror, he realized that the cabin had no portraits.”

She paused, and everyone leaned in in unison.

“ Only windows.”

Soo-Min’s heart fell, and that’s when Wheeljack let out a honk.

The noise sent her on her feet, and Soo-Min screamed, stumbling and falling on her back. Miko’s squeal turned into a laugh, and she proceeded to kick Wheeljack on the leg – “ What was that for ?” While Ultra Magnus reprimanded him – having been scared into flinching himself, Soo-Min’s heart pounded, and she had to steady her breathing, ignoring the way Dreadwing was staring at them from afar.

“Hey, you alright there?” Bulkhead offered her a hand, and she latched onto his finger, lifting herself up. She scowled at Wheeljack, who apologized with a laugh. Irritated, Soo-Min made a move to leave. She would have headed for the clearing if Ultra Magnus hadn’t beckoned her to come over.

The Blue Mech pulled out a cube from his subspace, lowering it into her hands. Soo-Min had to cradle it with both her arms, for it was nearly the size of a mini-fridge – good thing it weighed less. Yet, it was still heavy enough to strain her arms.

“ You may offer it to him. If you wish.”

Soo-Min knew that was his way of saying, “ _Please give this to him because I cannot physically bring myself to do so_.” At this, Soo-Min made her way across the field, trying to peer over the cube to watch where she’s going.

Dreadwing was standing against a tree, watching the starry sky.

“ For you.” She panted, lifting the cube.

He stared at the group before looking at her.

Dreadwing accepted the cube from her hands and gave her a nod, one she can only assume as a thank you. Soo-Min sat atop the boulder next to him, watching the full moon. “ The sky is clear tonight, but I think it will rain soon.”

She glanced at him. “ The rainy season is expected to last longer this year.”

“ And is this good for your kind?”

Soo-Min chewed the inside of her cheek. “ It depends. The rain is good for the animal and plants. But too much rain will cause flooding and landslides, which can be harmful to people.”

She watched as the clouds begin to cluster together, moving closer and closer to them. “ Scientists say that it’s going to rain more often to compensate for the dry season, which lasted about a month longer than it usually does. A year without rain can also seriously hurt a lot of people. It can cause droughts and famine. Therefore, maybe it’s not so bad after all.”

Soo-Min tied the shoelaces of her sneakers. “ Does it rain in Cybertron?”

“ It does.”

“ Do you like the rain?”

He mulled over her question. “ Back in Cybertron, it rains acid.”

His eye flickered to hers. “ If acid rain comes in contact with any of our circuits, it will severely disable our functions and power flow. Prolonged exposure can lead to death. “

Her eyes widened. “ That’s…awful.”

Soo-Min, knowing that was as far as she’s going to go into making small talk with him, decided to stand up. The fire by the circle was already dying, its smoke dissolving against the wind. Miko packed her toothbrush back into her bag, a pillow tucked under her elbow. “ So. Are you going to sleep with Ultra Magnus or Wheeljack?”

Soo-Min froze.

“ E-excuse me ?”

“ Well, it’s that or sleeping on the ground.” Miko smirked. 

Realizing that she was referring to their alt-modes, Soo-Min cleared her throat. “ I’ll sleep outside. I brought a sleeping bag.”

“ What if it rains?”

“ I-I’m sure it won’t,” Soo-Min waved her hand. Her eyes darted between Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus. Ultra Magnus, for once, seemed happy at her decision, going over to lean by a tree.

“ The offer is still up,” Wheeljack chuckled, poking fun at her.

“ It’s alright. I’ll be fine.”

It wasn’t a lie. Soo-Min used to camp all the time when she was younger. Before Jun was born, Baek-Hyun would make it a habit to take her and Du-Ho camping. He says it’s good for them, and that they all needed to take a break from the city sometimes. Hence, she was no stranger to sleeping out in the open.

Granted, sleeping inside a car would seem much better, but Soo-Min felt that was too…intimate. The idea of sitting inside an Autobot was enough to unnerve her, to actually sleep inside of their cab is enough to make her ears go red. She should sleep close to Bulkhead, that way she could easily reach Miko if she needed to.

Yet, once she finished brushing her teeth by a nearby stream, Soo-Min finds herself walking towards Dreadwing. He raised a brow at her when she unfurled the sleeping bag a few meters away. She ignored his staring, acting like they’ve done this several times.

The only problem was that she couldn’t close her eyes.

Sure, the bag was warm and she was cozy, but the fire has died down to give way for the darkness – and the faint glow of the moon wasn’t enough to console her, especially when she usually sleeps with a nightlight. Not to mention that Miko’s story added fuel to her fear. The moment she closed her eyes, they would always fly open at the slightest noise.

Soo-Min glared at the bird perched above the tree.

Unknowingly, Soo-Min finds herself scooting closer, and closer to the body across her. She tries to be subtle about it, but Dreadwing was apparently a light sleeper. His eyes flew open at her tossing and turning, and he leaned forward from the tree bark.

“ You are afraid.”

“ I am not.” Soo-Min blurted out.

“ Then how would explain why you’re still awake?” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Perhaps you should run back to the Autobots.”

“ Aren’t you technically an Autobot now?” She ignored his glare, sitting up. “ And I’m not scared of you.”

His horns twitched. “ Is that so?”

“ Y-yes.” She nodded. “ I’m…just not used to sleeping in the dark. And Miko told some scary stories.”

“ I heard.”

At his unamused tone, Soo-Min laid down once more. She bit her lip, “ Okay. Maybe I am scared. But that’s not the only reason why I’m here.”

She could feel him open his eyes, and Soo-Min kept her gaze onto the sky. From down here, she could spot the blinking lights of an airplane passing by.

“ You seem lonely.”

She dared to look at his reaction. Dreadwing remained impassive, before moving to the side. It took her mind several seconds to realize that he was making space for her.

He was inviting her to move closer.

In the beginning, she pretended not to notice the gesture, but somewhere into the night – the first drops of rain began to litter across her face. That’s when she dragged herself to the space next to his outstretched legs. She knew the tree’s shade wasn’t dense enough to keep out most of the rain, yet Soo-Min was too tired to walk all the way back to Wheeljack, and so she made herself comfortable, memorizing the faint warmth radiating off his armor.

In the morning when she wakes, Soo-Min was surprised to find herself dry, along with the small patch of grass around her. Through the mist , she could see Dreadwing in the distance, stretching his right arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked that chapter ! Don't hesitate to tell me what you think :)  
> Also don't hesitate to correct my grammar, as english isn't my first language and I am no exception to mistakes hehehe  
> * The story Miko told was from a comic by Adam Tots ! 
> 
> 1.Baek-Hyun (40)  
> 2\. Du-Ho (32)  
> 3\. Soo-Min ( 27)  
> 4\. Jun ( 16)  
> 5\. Dae (7)


	4. liebestraum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone ! I hope you are well. This update is long overdue and I'm so so sorry for the super late update. I try to update every once a week, but the past few weeks have just been hectic. If you're a student preparing to take the As levels during this pandemic, you would know what I'm referring to hahaha. Thank you for patiently waiting, I hope you are still interested to follow Soo-Min and Dreadwing's story ! <3

“ You have been here before ?”

Soo-Min watched as Dreadwing’s eyes skimmed the array of fallen leaves, the shades of yellow and orange sweeping over the barren ground. The promise of winter lingers in the air, slithering against the wind chimes underneath rooftops. They ring softly against the silence, echoing throughout the garden.

“ No. At least, not in real life.” She moved to the edge of the pond, watching as the lilypads crowd against once another. She could feel Dreadwing’s curious stare. Her reflection, clear against the stagnant water.

“ The first time I saw a picture of this garden in my history textbook back in sixth grade, I fell in love with the way the leaves reflect themselves across the water. I used to dream of dancing here, when I was younger. In my dream, I would be dancing against the cobbled stones with a handsome prince. We would sway under the full moon to Franz List’s _Liebestraum No.3_.” She confessed, voice shy and small against her smile. “ It was a silly dream.”

He towered over her reflection, appearing behind her. Soo-Min turned to face him, hugging her coat closer against herself. There was a moment of silence where he regarded her, and she shot a wary glance at the security tower.

“ We must continue.” Dreadwing agreed.

The two of them pushed past the thin foliage of trees, following the map in Soo-Min’s hands. In the morning, Soo-Min and Miko had visited the park, collecting information from the staff and tourists. It wasn’t a question as to why the bots were wary to teleport in and out of the park. Seoul itself is famous for its advanced camera security, having CCTVs located in every corner of the metropolitan. Nothing goes in and out, unnoticed.

Yet, lucky for them, the Energon was stored directly underneath _Changdeok Palace_. After much consideration, from the help of one chatty tourist guide, Soo-Min and Miko had agreed that the best way to avoid getting caught on camera was to make use of the palace’s abandoned catacombs.

“ It’s big enough to fit all of us,” Miko declared, “ If we split up in groups, we could easily dodge the security patrolling these areas and cover a wider perimeter. This way, we can get in and out quickly.”

“ All communication channels must remain operational throughout this mission.” Ultra Magnus nodded, “ I believe Miko should stay with Bulkhead and cover the Eastwing. Wheeljack and I will take the South.” Their commander shot Wheeljack a warning look, knowing that he has to keep an eye on the lone wolf.

Wheeljack let out a displeased grunt, eyes falling onto Soo-Min. “ What about her? You can’t possibly pair her up with the ‘Con.”

Dreadwing clenched his teeth. “ You may remain distrustful of me, but you have no right to question my honor.”

“ Oh and just because you have a moral code now, we should let you off? How do we know you’re not going to hurt her ?”

Soo-Min shrunk back behind Dreadwing when Wheeljack stepped closer to him, raising his chin. Ultra Magnus was on the verge of pulling them apart, afraid that another fight was going to erupt out of the two hot-headed Mechs. Instead, he carefully watched the way Soo-Min pressed her palm against the back of Dreadwing’s peds.

He stilled, looking at her.

“ I will not hurt her. Nor will I hurt any of you.”

Looking back, Soo-Min was surprised to see that he did not give in to Wheeljack’s taunts. She doesn't need anyone to tell her about just how intimidating he can be. But in that moment, when he chose not to give in to his anger, Soo-Min couldn’t help but feel proud of him.

She stole a glance at the Mech walking beside her. He was no doubt thinking back on the incident, from the way he clenched his knuckles and furrowed his brows. The catacombs were dark, dark enough to make her inch closer to him with every step. As they traveled further inside, the lights from outside began to thin, and once they were plunged into darkness, Soo-Min bumped against his foot– stumbling backward.

He stopped to watch the way the flashlight in her hands trembled.

“ You are afraid.”

She kept her eyes trained on the white light pouring out. “ N-no I’m not.”

“ Do not lie.”

She frowned. “ Maybe a little.”

“ Do you wish to continue ?”

At the cold, her breathing came out in rapid little puffs. “ We have no choice.”

With that, they continued. This time, Soo-Min hovered closely next to him, and Dreadwing was careful to not accidentally step on her. Soo-Min knew this was slowing them down, for he had to stop several times to ensure she wasn’t squished under his footfalls. Yet, he made no comment about it, staying silent nearly the entire time. Unnerved, Soo-Min decided she wanted more than their footsteps to keep them company, and so she started talking.

“ Did you know, the little garden we were in was originally named _Huwon_? It was constructed for the use of the royal family and palace women. There are over a hundred different species of trees in the garden and some of the trees behind the palace are over three hundred years old.”

“ You humans consider that to be old ?”

She raised her head. “ Is it not ?”

The corners of his lips twitched downwards. “ Not for us.”

She blinked at the ground, thinking. As if noticing this, Dreadwing was quick to fill in her confusion. “ It has come to my attention that human lives are much more fleeting than ours. Our kind measures time in terms of millions of years, we generally exist on a fundamentally different timescale than humans.”

Soo-Min let his words settled on her. He has made it clear that Cybertronians are not bound to the momentary lifespans of short-lived organic beings; their histories, empires, and wars playing out over a period of geological epochs.

“ How long do you estimate is the average lifespan of most Cybertronians ?”

“ If you were to estimate it on a human scale, our average lifespan would be four to seven million years.”

Soo-Min let out a breathless laugh, struck by the realization. “ We must seem so…small to you then ?”

He made no move to answer.

“ Seven million years.” She shook her head. “ I wouldn’t know what to do with that much time. But I suppose, what makes humanity all the more precious is just how fleeting our existence is. We know that life is short, but that is exactly why we make use of the time we have. In hopes that our stories are remembered amongst the stars.”

A pebble skittered against her shoes, clattering down the path. “ I’m sorry, that must be so cliché.”

“ Cliché ?”

Soo-Min pressed her lips together, realizing that perhaps there are some words the universal translator might fail to decipher. “ Predictable, sentimental.”

“ That remains to be questioned.”

Soo-Min was ready to embrace the silence once more when he surprised her with a question.

“ Who is Franz List?”

Soo-Min pulled back her gloves, covering her wrists from the nipping cold. “ He is a famous composer ! Liszt was an incredibly innovative, well-respected, and frankly, a legend in his lifetime. During his time in _Weimar_ , Liszt composed and published his piano nocturnes, _Liebestraum_ : Dreams of Love.”

She ran a hand through her hair. “ _Number 3_ is based on a poem written by the German writer, _Ferdinand Freliligrath_. Entitled, _O Lieb, so lang du lieben kannst_ : Love as long as love you can. The work depicts themes of love and loss.”

She took his silence as attentiveness, continuing.

“ It is a story of love and loss portrayed through music. The idea is that the poet warns you that love is fragile but worth taking the risk for. The piece ends very quietly, with this back story in mind it brings the piece into a whole new dimension.”

He seemed satisfied by her explanation, considering that he did not raise any questions. Yet, once they’ve nearly arrived at the deposit, he stopped to look at her.

“ If the song speaks about mourning, then why would you play it in your dreams?”

She scrunched her nose. “ What do you mean?”

He didn’t seem happy in having to explain himself, but he did so anyway, tilting his head curiously. “You seemed to have enjoyed these dreams. If you were happy and dancing with this prince, then why do you dance to a song of sorrow?”

Soo-Min shrugged weakly, finally understanding his words.

“ I guess it’s because I know in the end, it’s all just a dream. I’ll have to say goodbye to the garden, to the trees, and the prince. That I'll have to wake up.”

* * *

The moment Dreadwing pushed her away, Soo-Min knew it was because they’re in danger. She immediately heaved herself upwards, ignoring the scrapes against her elbow. Behind her, the clashing of metal against one another shook the cavern walls. Soo-Min hid behind a boulder, covering both her ears. _Breathe_. She reminded herself, searching for her inhaler.

“ Dreadwing,” The voice chuckled, “ Did Lord Megatron send you?”

Dreadwing only growled in anger, and she could hear him draw his sword. Soo-Min risked a peek, watching as the two danced around one another. His opponent was much smaller than him, and she was – oh, oh _God_. Soo-Min could feel a shiver slither down her spine, her blood running cold at the sight of the Cybertronian.

“ Leave now, Airachnid, and I will spare your life.”

Airachnid’s eight legs scurried over to the wall, and she narrowed her eyes on the Energon crystals. Its bright blue glow was the only thing that allowed Soo-Min to watch their fight, and she couldn’t keep herself from flinching at the attacks. She was violent, ruthless, striking him from all sides. Dreadwing was strong, but she was quick, and she had swiped one of her claws against his cheek – scratching it.

He collided with the wall, and Soo-Min made the mistake of gasping.

Airachnid stilled, turning around to look directly at Soo-Min.

“ A human?” She questioned. Her eyes glided over to Dreadwing, catching his panic before grinning at her. “ Oh, don’t tell me, that you are protecting it?”

She crawled over to Soo-Min, and her legs were late to react, lagging behind before finally sending her jogging. Yet, the spider was too fast, and Soo-Min finds herself trapped under a web of silk. It trapped her against the wall, and Soo-Min turned her head away when Airachnid hovered above her. “ What’s wrong ? Scared?”

Soo-Min’s whimper turned into a scream when Airachnid pushed back a strand of her hair. In the distance, she could hear Dreadwing struggling against his own bindings.

“ Airachnid !” He warned.

Yet, the Femme only laughed, her sadistic delight scaring Soo-Min into thrashing. Her bottom lip quivered, but fear gripped her heart so strongly that she couldn’t even bring herself to cry. She was left to stare at Airacnid as she forced her chin up, making Soo-Min look into her attacker’s cold, purple eyes.

“ You’ll make a fine headpiece for my collection,” She pinched a few strands of her hair, raising a leg at her. The talon glinting against the faint glow of the crystals.

Soo-Min removed her head from her grip, hiding her cheek against her shoulder as she waits for the blow. She held her breath, saying a silent prayer – but the assault never came. Instead, a furious roar shook the hollow space. Dreadwing crossed the distance with his blade, and with a single blow, he sent Airachnid flying to the other end of the room. She collided roughly with the wall, the impact rendering her trembling. She scowled at the pair, launching at Dreadwing, only to have him parry it with another swing of his blade.

Soo-Min watched, jaw slacking at the ferocious clash. Airachnid stalled his offense, catching the blade in between her flat palms. Her hands quivered under the brutality of his compelling strength, and Soo-Min was once again reminded of just how _powerful_ Dreadwing was. Here, in front of her, he fought with a different kind of conviction from that day in the woods. It helped him wound his opponent, and the spider was left to steady herself against a nearby boulder.

She glowered at him, eyes sliding over to Soo-Min. “ This isn’t over, Dreadwing. I _will_ kill your little pet, and I will make you watch as I skin her alive.”

The corner of Dreadwing’s lips curled downwards. “ You will not live long enough, to see that through.”

Airachnid took one distasteful look at her wound, before burying herself against the soil, drilling her way out. Leaving a puddle of blue and pink above the ground. Dreadwing secured his blade, peering down the hole and checking the perimeter, before making his way towards Soo-Min. He placed his hands on each side of the web, kneeling to carefully pry it away from her. Once he successfully peeled it back, Soo-Min slumped forward into his open hand.

“ I…” She trembled, “ I’m sorry.”

A few drops leaked out of her eyes, falling onto the metal.

“ What are you apologizing for ?”

She shook her head. “ I should have been – I should have been braver. I should’ve maybe called Ultra Magnus or – or Wheeljack. You could have, we could have – “ She choked on her words, burying her face into her hands. “ I’m sorry, I shouldn’t cry, I shouldn’t- “

“ I gave you a promise.” He cut in. She raised her head, wiping away the tears against her shoulder. He regarded her, watching how her right hand was missing a glove. He turned his head, looking for the garment. Once he found it at arm’s reach, he picked up the black fabric, discarding it above her shivering hands.

“ I will protect you.”

The phrase was enough to make her cry harder, the tears falling more furiously than before. Yet, this time, she was crying for a different reason. His words settling around her like a warm blanket. Her shoulders slumped as fear began to leave her body, and Dreadwing waited. He stayed that way until Soo-Min’s crying finally ebbed into a few tired sobs.

Once satisfied, he peeled himself away, pressing a finger to his earpiece to signal for the rest of the team. When they arrived, Miko was quick to call for June, but Soo-Min insisted that she was fine, arguing that they should not risk using the Groundbridge for something so trivial. – “ It’s just a few scrapes, nothing I can’t handle.”

“ What happened?” Bulkhead asked.

Dreadwing was about to explain when Wheeljack cut him off, throwing him an angry look, “ He hurt her, that’s what. Never trust a ‘Con, look what happened !”

“ This was not my doing.” He countered.

Yet, Dreadwing’s eyes didn’t fail to skim over the scratches against her elbow, realizing that those _were_ from him. A conflicted look seized his eyes, and Soo-Min took this as a chance to jump in. “ He protected me, he pushed me out of the way. If he didn’t, Airachnid would’ve gotten to me.”

“ Airachnid?” Ultra Magnus scowled. “ She is on Earth?”

“ She is. The last time we checked, she was in a stasis pod.” Bulkhead sighed. “ Maybe the ‘Cons freed her.”

“ That’s hardly possible.” Dreadwing huffed, “ The Decepticons despise her just as much as you do.”

“ We must keep her away from any native population. We will report this back to Optimus, and we will let him decide on the course of action from there. In the meantime, we must start loading these crystals.” Ultra Magnus’s gaze fell onto Dreadwing. The commander hesitated, before nodding. “ Although you should’ve called for backup the moment she attacked, you did a good job.” He turned to Soo-Min, “ Both of you.”

Dreadwing grunted in acknowledgment, while Soo-Min hanged her head in shame, unable to accept the compliment. Miko placed a hand on her shoulder, sensing her distress. “ Hey, commander’s right. If it wasn’t for you, we would’ve bumped into those nasty security guards.”

Soo-Min managed a weak smile, letting the girl join her guardian. They set up the artificial lights, letting it shine around the area before going to work. Soo-Min went to review the forged documents, preparing them for their trip back to Namwon. With these in tow, the border security would need clearance, and according to Fowler, this should do the trick. Once she was done, she put the papers aside, pulling her mind by the reigns to stop herself from thinking about the incident.

She cradled the glove in her palms, lifting her head to watch Dreadwing haul the crystals into the cargo they towed.

The wound on his cheek, bright blue.

* * *

“ Hey,” Soo-min softly called out, beckoning him closer.

He walked over to her, his footfalls trailing after him against the leave strewn pavement. She observed the wound, her hand reaching out to trace it, only to stop midway. She let it fall to the side.

“ I hope you can get that patched up.”

“ It’s just a scratch.”

“ It could’ve been more.”

At her frightened tone, he ex-vented. The leaves rustled around them, whispering to one another. In the distance, they have started to transform. Wheeljack’s open door, urging her to hurry.

“ Thank you.”

Under the night, with the drizzle falling around them, Soo-Min couldn’t care less about the cold. All she could hear was the familiar melody of _Liebestraum_ playing around her. He didn’t reply, but he did give her one last look before transforming – and taking off into the night sky.

* * *

“ Soo-Min.”

She ignored her brother, proceeding to slam the slipper against the wooden tiles.

“ Soo-Min, that’s enough I think – “

She slammed the rubber harder, repetitively swatting it against the floor. Her brothers flinched, sharing a look with one another. By the doorway, Dae had stopped playing with his ball to peek into the room. Even Jun had removed his headphones to watch his sister.

“ Hey, Soo-Min,” Baek-Hyun gently held her wrist, suspending her arm midair. He furrowed his brows at her, “ I think that spider is dead.”

“ It’s more than dead,” Du-Ho scoffed, “ You gave it an express ticket to heaven.”

Soo-Min scowled. Granted, the spider was still alive and unharmed, having folded itself inside the cracks between the wooden tiles. It scuttled past the open doors, disappearing behind the tall grass.

“ Trust me, if it dies, it’s not going up there.”

* * *

“ You didn’t tell me you were visiting.”

Soo-Min carefully walked past the train tracks, watching the leaves curl itself in an unhealthy way. He stood by the mouth of the tunnel, his face partially hidden by the shadows. She raised the yellow umbrella, peering at him under the hood of her raincoat.

“ I did not intend to visit.”

She rolled her eyes, “ That’s very of kind of you, Dreadwing. It’s nice to know that you wanted to see how I was doing.”

From her peripheral, she could’ve sworn she saw the amusement in his lips – but it vanished just as quickly as it came. Together, they watched the drops of water fall from the roof of the cavern’s mouth and onto the grass.

“ Are you on duty? Did Optimus send you ?”

“ I am not an Autobot.” He frowned.

“ Technically, you are.”

“ I am here for my share of Energon,” He raised the cube in his hands. Soo-Min watched as it glowed blue, even under the faint sunlight. She had always wanted to know how it worked, and that gave her an idea, her eyes lighting up. “ So does this mean, you’re going to have lunch ?”

He nodded.

“ Then we can take it together,” She raised the wicker basket in her arm, “ I was going to eat by the garden downtown, before going to pick up Dae.”

“ Then why are you here?”

She wrung her fingers together, chewing the inside of her cheek before exhaling. “ I…wanted to see you. I dropped by because I thought you’d be here, and I was right.”

He stared at her, and Soo-Min watched the abandoned station behind them, mapping the way the vines curled around the faded yellow walls of the building. She exhaled, “ If you don’t want to then – “

“ You wish to share a meal?”

“Yes,” She nodded, “ I do.”

Soo-Min was glad she stayed and endured the initial awkwardness, because now she was sitting in one of the isolated benches within the park, careful to lay her raincoat over it so her skirt won’t get wet – the hem skimming over the dewy pasture. He leaned against the boulder beside her, opting to stand and watch the rows of auburn and yellow trees below the cliff.

She pulled out the bento box she had prepared, pulling apart the chopsticks before digging in. Soo-min took a careful bite off the tofu, while he sipped on his drink. She wanted to ignore the blush creeping up her cheeks because even if this feels awfully intimate, it meant nothing of the sort when they’re just friends.

Were they even friends?

Soo-Min mentally scoffed. Only a few months ago did he kidnapped her, and now she’s calling him her friend. _What is this, some form of Stockholm Syndrome ?_ Then again, she smiled to herself, he deserves to be called a friend – after what he’s done for her. Her head was running with questions, and she was determined to get her answers today.

“ You must be surprised to see that we humans have such a wide variety of options to choose from.”

He lowered his cube, the liquid gently sloshing within the glass container. He zoomed in on her meal, no doubt taking in the grains of rice and steamed vegetables. “ Is it not tiresome ?”

She let out a chuckle, “ I should be asking you that. Are you not bored, having to eat the same meal over and over again? Speaking of it, how does one exactly process Energon so that it’s consumable ?”

“ Cybertronians require Energon in order to live their lives anywhere they go. Energon can be converted into ammunition and energy for Energon-dependent weapons and equipment. Cybertronians refine Energon for fuel in their health and technology. Once Energon is refined, it's formed into a liquid state and it can be placed into containment units.” He gestured to his cube, “ And to answer your question: it is not tedious.”

“ Well, we humans sometimes live to eat rather than eat to live.” At his confused expression, Soo-Min held a hand to cover her mouth, holding her laugh, “ I mean, eating is more than just for survival.”

“ This is significant to your kind? Sharing a meal ?”

“ It’s a common form of bonding.” Soo-Min shrugged, “ Sharing a meal with someone, eating and drinking together behind the same table — is one of the most important manifestations of sociality in all cultures. Eating together confirms the sense of belonging, being part of a community. The wide variety of options, just make things more interesting.”

“ I see. Are you implying that we are bonding ?”

Soo-Min paused, placing her chopsticks back on the Tupperware. She stammered, “ A-are we not ?”

He turned his head away, raising to drink from his cube. A few moments pass, and she waited, holding her breath. Finally, he turned to her, his gaze softening. She took that as a _yes_ , and Soo-Min had to refrain from clapping her hands together in triumph, opting to take another bite of her broccoli.

“ I see you’ve recovered.”

She pointed to his cheek, noting that there were no visible scars.

“ I have.” His eyes landed on the white patch against her elbow. With her coat discarded, it was now visible to his eyes under the thin material of her sleeves. She raised it, watching the way it flexed against her skin. “ I had Baek-Hyun patch it up for me. I told him I tripped and fell.”

“ Why must you cover it ?”

“ I guess it’s because we don’t heal the way you do,” Soo-Min mused, “ From what I understand, you can easily buff out the scrapes on your armor. You can even replace parts of your armor. You don’t need stitches or band-aids to heal your wounds. Humans are different. When we scratch or cut ourselves, it takes weeks or even months for the tissue repair itself. Once it does heal, the deeper wounds leave scars.”

He doesn’t need to say it for her to understand. The look he gave her was one of doubt, as if he couldn’t phantom a species so fragile, so weak. 

“ We could even break our bones and tear our muscles.” She frowned.

There was a subtle shift in his eyes, a mixture of worry and horror.

“ It’s not something worth going through. Trust me, I would know.”

Her statement left room for questions, but she was glad Dreadwing didn’t ask. As if he knew that she wasn’t ready or inclined to share. With that, his chest parted, and Soo-Min flinched at the transformation as he placed the empty cube inside.

“ That’s – that’s where you kept me when were aboard the…the ship.”

“ Yes.” He let out a displeased grunt at the memory, “ It is our Subspaces.”

At her confusion, he elaborated further.

“ Subspace storage pockets allow us to store our personal belongings in the interdimensional void of transwarp. Objects placed in transwarp are tethered to the material world by our own personal energy supply, each operating on its own frequency.”

She blinked.

“ It’s a dimensional pocket.” He summarized. As if he too was unsure and had been quoting.

“ A completely different dimension, inside of you,” She weakly pointed, lips pursed. “ Isn’t that dangerous?”

“ Objects may go missing there if we are not careful.”

Her eyes widened. “ I could’ve gotten lost there !”

“ You could have,” He scoffed, “ But you didn’t. I have no intention of letting you die inside of me.”

She winced at the wording, before finishing the last few bites. “ Well, that’s a relief to know.”

“ It was that, or you either perish in the hands of Megatron.”

She put her Tupperware aside, opting to look at the scenery. They enjoyed a few moments of silence together, their conversations rising and falling like the constant sway of a pendulum. He would say a few words and she would reply, before going back to enjoy their shared company in stillness. Soo-Min was in no rush to learn about him, nor was she in any hurry to leave either.

When they both knew it was time to leave, their bodies move out of their own accord, cleverly reading the atmosphere. They walked side by side, until they reach the foot of the tunnel once more. By this point, the drizzle around them was beginning to thin, slowly dying as the sun rises to reach its peak. She cradled her umbrella against her shoulder, gazing at the sky.

“ I couldn’t sleep last night.”

She exhaled. “ I couldn’t stop thinking about how Airachnid will show up at my door and hurt me. I knew that was unlikely, but I just can’t help it. I’m worried. I’m scared.”

A drop landed on the tip of her nose, another sliding down the crown of her head. She reached out to wipe it, and that’s when she saw him look at her.

They locked eyes.

“ That’s why I came here. Because I knew I had to look at you. I had to know that you’re still out there.” She smiled, “Because you make me feel brave. You make me feel…safe. So, don’t go around leaving so quickly, okay?”

The wind rolled down the hills, kicking gravel down the dirt slopes. It skimmed the hem of her blouse, sweeping back her hair to reveal a shy smile. For a fraction of a second, she could see his eyes widen. The sunrays landed on them, warming her skin and highlighting the gold of his armor.

It could’ve been a trick of the eye, but whatever it was, she could see the corner of his mouth twitch upwards.

* * *

Soo-Min tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, wiping her forehead with the back of her palm. The last customer just left the door, leaving her with roughly three minutes to collect herself. She went over to the sink to wash her hands.

“ Today’s a busy day.”

She turned to the voice behind her, trying her best to match the smile her coworker gave.

“Every day is a busy day for you here.”

He let out a laugh.

While it was true that Soo-Min was more than thrilled to finally have a part-time job, it doesn’t make it any less tiresome. She was starting to ask herself whether the pay was worth the effort, considering that the little gelato café by downtown Namwon has managed to make itself extremely popular to both tourists and locals. It doesn’t matter if it was Autumn, the cold wind and gloomy weather wasn’t enough to deter customers from flocking into the store. It was her first day on the job, and she was already overwhelmed by the long lines. One man had even yelled at her for getting his order wrong, and if it wasn’t for her manager, he would’ve done more than berated her. Thankfully, the situation was contained before it could grow any worse, and Soo-Min finds herself reminded of just how emotionally draining interacting with strangers was.

He smiled at her encouragingly, fixing his neatly trimmed hair. Enzo has been running the shop with his father for nearly ten years now. It was a family business they didn’t have the heart to leave all the way back in their homeland, and so when his father migrated here nearly a decade ago, they’ve been steadily building themselves a reputation amongst the people.

“ Why don’t you take a five-minute break,” He winked, turning to the empty table where his father once sat. “ Don’t worry, I’ll handle it from here.”

The rest of her coworkers took the lead, leaving her to refill the cones by the corner. Once the clock struck five, Soo-Min went to place her apron by one of the hangers. She exchanged a few words with her newfound friends, letting them type their numbers into her phone while she donned her coat and scarf. By this point in time, it’s already raining.

Soo-Min warily stared at the downpour. She knew she should have biked to work today, the growing puddles would surely soil her sneakers. If only she had the foresight to opt to boots. _Then again_ , she sighed, _I can’t always be prepared for everything_.

“ I can take you home.”

Enzo unlatched his bike, swinging a leg over the passenger’s seat and nodding for her to hop on. She stared at the road, and back to the bike – his smile patient and encouraging even as the drops of rain trickle over his forehead.

In the end, she had decided to join him, and they spent the entire ride struggling to hear one another’s voices over the occasional passing cars. It was a relief, that the rain was not as sporadic as usual, and it has brewed into a soft lullaby that rendered the leaves asleep. The air, humid and cold.

“ I heard you used to be a composer?”

She held on tighter to the metal seat, curling her hands on his coat when they hit a rough patch. “ Musician. I’ve never actually got around to compose any original pieces.”

“ Why’s that?”

She focused on the grating of metal chains, watching the way the rubber wheels skid themselves against the shimmering pavement.

“ I’m not sure.”

“ What instruments do you play?” He asked, shifting the conversation without killing it entirely. She finds herself indulging him not only to show her gratitude, but because Enzo’s chattiness was contagious. This made him appear younger than her when he was actually five years ahead.

“ I used to play the piano, violin, cello, viola. Others too, but not as well.”

He let out a low whistle, “ You’re some musician huh? Why’d you stop?”

Just like hitting the brakes, Soo-Min put a halt to their conversation. The once comfortable pace between their discussion evaporated into thin air, and she couldn’t miss the way his guilt flooded the silence between them. When they finally reached her home, the lights by the porch were already on with how dark it was getting, and Baek-Hyun’s car was parked by the driveway – signaling one of those rare moments where he gets to come home early.

Her four brothers peaked their heads out of the doorway, each of them making a funny face behind Enzo as they say their last goodbyes. Du-Ho was giving her a thumbs up while Baek-Hyun narrowed his eyes at the man, with Dae giggling below him. Leaving a very confused Jun to watch the scene unfold.

“ I also packed some frozen gelato for you to bring home,” He shrugged, pulling an insulated box out of his front basket. She took it with both hands, saying her thanks. He turned to greet the four brothers, who replied with a cluster of smiles and waves. Once the light pouring off his little night lamp disappeared down the hill, her brothers immediately rushed to Soo-Min, eagerly bombarding her with questions.

“ You have a boyfriend ?”

“ Why didn’t you tell us ?”

“ How old is he ?”

“ What’s his blood type? Zodiac? Birthdate ?”

She stomped her feet in annoyance, trying to push past their teasing. Their laughter crowded the trees, sending the flock of blackbirds up into the evening sky. Just before Soo-Min entered the house, she could’ve sworn she saw a pair of red eyes watching from the distance, but the thought vanished from her mind the moment Dae took her hand to lead her to the dinner table.

The rain dying to make way for the full moon.

* * *

“ Soo-Min, I don’t have a problem with you dating,” Baek-Hyun cleared his throat, “ But it won’t hurt to tell us.”

“ I’m not – “

“ Yeah! I mean as long as he’s better than that guy you dated back in high school.” Du-Ho scoffed, catching the last grains of rice in his bowl, “ He was a jerk. I heard your new boyfriend's Italian by the way."

“ Enzo is not my – “

“ Oh, he’s Italian !” Dae clapped, before turning to Jun, “ What’s an Italian?”

“ It means he’s from Italy,” Jun explained, placing more meat on his little brother’s plate.

“ I thought he’s from the ice cream shop ?”

" Technically," June pushed back his glasses, "It's gelato, not ice cream."

The hot pot before them boiled, sending a thin sheet of smoke into the ceiling of their living room. They all sat in a circle, legs crossed above the pillows as they soak in the warmth of a home-cooked meal. Soo-Min had to swallow her frustration at her brothers’ constant interruption, it seems like they were far more invested in her love life than she ever was.

“ I think he’s a good guy,” Du-Ho nodded.

“ What makes you such a good judge of character?” Baek-Hyun rolled his eyes, pinching his cheek and earning a complaint.

“ Like you’re any better !” He huffed, “ You’re the one who got divorced last year.”

Jun’s eyes widened.

Baek-Hyun scowled, “ Okay, that’s it. Hey brat! Get back here !”

Du-Ho burst into a fit of laughter as Baek-Hyun reached out to pinch him, the two grown men shoving one another like children while Dae cheered from his seat. Jun let out a tired sigh, digging into his soup. Deciding enough is enough, Soo-Min placed her spoon on the table to push herself on her feet. “ He’s not my boyfriend !”

All four of them whipped their heads towards her, “ He’s not ?”

“ No!” Soo-Min flushed, “ W-we’re not even that close! We just met today.”

There was a pregnant pause.

“ But if you both are planning to date, I won’t protest against it,” Du-Ho shrugged, earning a shove against his foot. Baek-Hyun pinched the bridge of his nose, “ I won’t either, but – but we don’t even know the guy! I just don’t want anything bad to happen to you. I know you’re more than capable than taking care of yourself, but if he breaks your heart I might have to intervene.”

“ And what are you going to do Mr. Pacifist?” Du-Ho raised his brow.

“ Intervene.”

Soo-Min rolled her eyes. “ I understand your concern, but nothing’s going on between us, really. He’s…I don’t think he’s my type.”

“ Okay, we won’t tease you about it anymore if it makes you uncomfortable,” Baek-Hyun raised his hands. They settled back onto the floor, continuing their meal. For a brief moment, the sound of cutlery against one another was all that could be heard, easing her to lean against the wall with her cup of tea.

“ That makes sense,” Dae nodded, munching on his seaweed, “ Because Soo-Min already has a boyfriend.”

Soo-Min nearly dropped her beverage, while Baek-Hyun spits his water on Du-Ho’s shirt.

Du-Ho winced at the hot liquid, the eldest brother coughing against the low table. She turned to Dae, giving him a questioning look. The youngest sibling simply bobbed his head, giggling, “ Don’t lie! If a boyfriend is someone that you’ve been seeing, that makes the man in the woods your boyfriend, right ?”

“ MAN IN THE WOODS?” Baek-Hyun screamed.

“ Didn’t we watch _Cabin in the Woods_ together last summer?” Du-Ho huffed, “ Didn’t that teach anyone anything?”

" The lesson is that we should invite strange men into our homes !" Dae cheered.

" No !" The three brothers groaned.

“ Wait, it’s – it’s not what you think !” Soo-Min stood up, eyes darting between her panicked brothers. “It’s-it’s not a man in the woods.”

“ Then what is it?” Baek-Hyun snarked, “ A bear?”

She stiffened, “ Yes.”

Jun placed his chopsticks on the table, finally investing himself in their conversation. The kettle in the other room whistled, yet no one moved, the air around them thick with anticipation.

“ Dae, the man you thought you saw with me…he’s too big to be a regular man right?” Soo-Min convinced, trying to jump-start the seven-year old’s memory. He pursed his lips together, brows knitting as he thought on her words, “ He _is_ pretty big.”

“ That was a bear, sweetheart,” Soo-Min nodded, clapping her hands together, “ See? Case closed. When – when did you first saw us, Dae?”

“ A few months ago, after I woke up from my nap,” He mumbled.

“ Of course you thought it was a man! You just woke up, you were still tired,” Soo-Min nodded. Baek-Hyun gave her a wounded look as if he couldn’t believe she was trying to lie to him.

Dae settled back to his meal, shrugging, “ Well at least the bear is gone now.”

“ What kind of bear was it, I wonder?” Du-Ho hummed, placing both hands on his hips while sliding his gaze over to Soo-Min. She stood her ground, knowing that she must settle with a terrible lie for now. They are not ready to handle the truth, not yet, not when Airachnid is still out there.

“ Just a bear,” Soo-Min sat down, “ Nothing more, nothing less.”

The rest of the night was spent in awkward silence, with Du-Ho going out to change his clothes while Baek-Hyun stared at her the entire time. The eldest brother had a mixture of guilt and disappointment written across his face, upset at the thought that she’d have to lie to him. Nevertheless, Baek-Hyun has always respected her privacy, and as long as she was safe – that was enough for him.

Soo-min wanted nothing more than to break her silence.

It was hard to keep secrets from them, especially when they usually do everything together.

That night when she was doing the dishes, Baek-Hyun approached her. The sound of the radio, droning in the background of their kitchen.

“ It’s okay to have secrets, Soo-Min,” He sighed. “ But I’m worried about you. We moved here to give you a new start, but I’m starting to wonder if you actually feel safe here. If you don’t, please tell us. We’re your brothers, we’re always going to be here for you.”

“ I know, Baek-Hyun. I’m grateful for that, I really am,” She nodded, turning off the sink and drying her hands against the towel. “ I’m safe. Don’t worry about me.”

“ You are?”

She pulled him into a hug, her mind wandering to the blue and golden Mech. From the window she could see Du-Ho smoking by the foot of the porch, his feet tapping the familiar tune of _Grease Lightning_. From behind, Jun and Dae's footsteps signal that they were preparing for bed, their conversation blurring into sleepy yawns. Outside the cicadas chirped noisily against the trees, trying to compete with the lapping of the stream.

“ Yeah. I am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it's quite long to make up for loss time. Also, feel free to comment or give feedback, it never fails to make my day :) stay safe everyone <3  
> P.S - If there are several grammar mistakes don't hesitate to let me know ! Thank you xx


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